Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

17oz bottle-pours a foamy light tan head and copper/amber color. Aroma is sweet medium malt-caramel/toffee, some hay/wet blanket. Taste is sweet medium malt-caramel/toffee, some hay/wet blanket, some roasty/cocoa, some fruit, faint earthy hops. Soft carbonation. Easy drinking malty beer.

<b>15-Sep-08</b> <i>(500-ml bottle: Sample bottle from the "local" Merchant du Vin rep)</i> Not that I needed a sample bottle from the importer to know how wonderful this dunkel is, but it serves as a good reinforcement. Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel may well be the best example of the style imported into the United States. Ruby-brown in color with stunning clarity, the beer is capped by an inch of dark-tan head. The nose presents clean, rich aromas of chocolate, dark and toasty malts and a touch of earth along with a slight floral-hop backdrop. Core flavors of toasty, chocolaty and lightly sweet malts abound with that rich, worty, melanoidin profile that’s characteristic of dark German beers. Medium in body and carbonation, clean on the palate. The head settles to a wide ring while leaving a few spots and patches of lace. A classic example of the style, one of the best.

<b>10-Nov-05</b> <i>(500-ml bottle: $2.69 at Windy City in El Cajon, CA)</i> I think Ayinger is one of my favorite German breweries whose beers are imported into the U.S. Chocolaty and toasty malts are dominant in this tasty dunkel, with sweetness and bitterness being pretty mild. The chocolate really takes over in the finish. The nose is less chocolaty than the flavor, showing more of that dark, malty, worty aroma typical of many dark German beers. Medium bodied and pleasantly carbonated. The beer is a pretty medium brown color and is capped by a gorgeous tan head that builds to nearly two inches before gradually settling to a thin, complete and creamy layer. Lacing is left in large patches. Overall, not significantly better than most of the German dunkels I’ve tried, but better nevertheless.

500 mL bottle from Wine Warehouse. Reddish brown pour with a 2-finger head. Big roasted malt aroma with some fruity notes and a slight touch of smoke. Roasted malt taste is slightly grainy with raisin notes throughout. A little thin in the end.

bottle, dark caramel color, good malty nose, flavor is fruity with roasted smoke accents, finish is a bitter caramel but smooth

Brown pour with a dark red tint. Yeasty aroma with sweet malt and molasses. Very bready. Similar flavor with caramel maple notes and a strong malt presence. A bit of sour lactose as well. Bitter finish. Very flavorful and delicious!

Deep, cloudy brown pour with a big foamy head that lasts and laces. Aroma of roasted caramel malt and milk chocolate, with some bready grain and fruit. Flavor follows the same pattern. Medium bodied and smooth on the palate. Just a touch of bitterness on the finish. Very nice!

Bottle 50cl @ home.
Clear medium amber red brown color with a large, frothy, good lancing, fully lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate to light heavy malty, roasted, dark bread, caramel, nutty. Flavor is moderate to light heavy sweet and light bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily to watery, carbonation is soft. (020608)

(Bottle). Malty aroma. Hazy reddish deep brown color, with small tan head. Taste is smooth, malty, and a bit earthy. Nice light finish. A pleasurable beer.