Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

Brewed by Brauerei Aying
Style: Dunkel
Aying, Germany

Sweet monkey... Pours a rich and dark brown, but not black. Solid malt aroma and taste. A little thin on the body. Still, a beer that screams Bavaria and Munich. Does Ayinger make bad beer?

2006 bottle drunk on 9/30/06.
Dark beige-walnut colored head is very forthcoming and shows fine retention. Light webs of lace are produced as it recedes down the glass. The chocolate-amber colored body has deep auburn tints and demonstrates a medium-high clarity.
Poignant touches of vinousness and berry-skins are peppered about a softly sweet, chocolate-caramel maltiness that deftly allows a crisp lager yeast bite to creep in towards the end, finishing dry and quite elegant. Some definite traces of almonds, walnuts and light coffee beans arise from the dark malts and stretch the complexity. A touch of grassy, dusty hoppiness is minimally noted. Gentle on the nose, and with well-defined notes that work well together. Medium strength of aroma, no alcohol apparent, no lagering/brewing flaws.
Very sweet up front, moreso than the aroma would suggest, with a nougat and toffee creaminess, that blends nuttiness and light vinousness as well. Some breadiness and light acidity from the dark malts begin to dry things out, while a robust carbonation helps pull apart the sweetness as well. Light buttercream, coffee cake and vibrant berry-like melanoidins sit on the end, surviving the lightly crisp yeastiness. Very delicate, as a dunkel should be, with nothing even remotely overdone. Quite possibly, nothing here is going to rock your world, but the execution/brewing is near-flawless. Perhaps a touch too much on the carbonation, and the finish could stand to be more biting for a lager, but the overall attenuation is well-done, and the flavors are quite elegant.

Very nice deep amber/light brown color and a kick ass off white head which lasts throughout hte beer. Great smooth nutty and toasted aromas with lots of malt and jsut a touch of hops. Flavoris nutty, doughy, bready and malty- crystal, brown and chocolate malts. Very smooth mouthfeel and finish. Very quafable.

(5oo ml Bottle) Such a pleasure to see this in the liquor board - I was mighty bored of the selection. Pours an almonde head and a deep mahogany-red body. Nutty Aroma with strong malt and smoke. Fairly smoky beer with nice hops and bitterness. Weak finish. Smooth but lacks complexity; very good though.

500ml Bottle. Served too cool. When warmer, it has a warm and inviting taste. Rich and woody, and lingers. Definitely some sweetness, but not enough to make it sticky.

Bottle at Viking Mariella. Amber color, very nice creamy lasting offwhite head. Malty aroma, brown sugar, some nuts, some butter. Malty roasted flavor, some hops, some sweet fruits.

Draught at Speis und Trank. Red brownish colour with a medium modly lasting light brown head. Powerful taste and aroma of malts, hobs and caramel. Great beer.

bottle, Danke nach Bochum! Brown colour with a creamy beige head. Malty nose. Malty, hints of caramel, roasted malt and toffee. A well-balanced and very pleasant Dunkel.