Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

Brewed by Brauerei Aying
Style: Dunkel
Aying, Germany

Bottle. Pours a very nice dark amber with a tan head. Smells roasty and a bit fruity. Tastes like it smells and looks. Nice robust chocolate/black coffee flavor with a nice malt hop balance. Very complex for a lager. Not a big fan of lagers, but this one might change my mind completely. Doesn’t finish clean like a lot of lagers. The coffee lingers on, which is nice. Thus is just a great beer.

Phenomenal dark lager with as much maltiness and chocolatey-velvety texture as you’d ever want. Amazing nose; flowery and vinous hints, another winner from Ayinger.

What can i say but Whoaaaaaaaa thats good nice dark color malty nose with flavor of malt and coffee with some very lite fruit tones in it hard to describe what kind though decent finish that leaves you wanting another.definately have to hide from friends

Nice reddish colour. Very fine head. The palate is a bit sweet but it contains also a touch of bitterness. A perfect combination in this perfectly well-balanced Dunkel. This beer goes very good to cheese particularly moulded cheese. A magnificent beer by the man himself: Franz Inselkammer.

This beer rocks! A great beer from a great brewery. Despite the commercial description, I would have to say that the beer is the most beautiful amber/mahogany I have ever seen. I didn’t know whether to start drinking it or place it on a marble stand with back lighting. Oh, did I mention that it tastes, smells and feels really good as well?

Deep red color with a puffy white head. Sweet malty, plum aroma with hints of chocolate. Sweet almost cherry flavor. Balanced very well. Medium bodied. Flavor is very refreshing, almost dangerous. A little hop bitterness in the finish. Very, very drinkable.

Rerate: 5-11-2005. Bottle, lager glass. Thick, rich and creamy off-white head sits on a robust light maroon hued beer that tends to a dark amber where the glass thins. Effervescent carbonation replenishes the head. An absolute looker, wow. Immensely rich malt aroma: cookies, treacle, toasted dark bread, molasses and a touch of semi-sweet chocolate. Ever so soft floral hops. Intriguing hints of strap leather. Delicate notes of dark raisins, port, tobacco, vanilla and honey. Wonderfully complex from what is assuredly a simple malt bill and a clean yeast. Clean and firm malt sweetness is offset by a very light acidic tang the the front of the mouth. Finishes much the same with the addition of a soft floral hoppiness. There’s quite a nice transition of aromas to flavor—not much is left out. Perhaps a bit less sweet than the aroma indicates. Smooth and velvety mouthfeel is of moderate substance and is accompanied by a well-suited, lively carbonation. Amazing how such a malt-focused beer can come across so drinkable and non-cloying without being watery. Fantastic. Wow, I used to be a beer idjit.

Confirms my belief that I’m just not a huge fan of lagers. Very rich malt profile; lighter than the color would make you believe. Funny aftertaste dries out the mouth. Rerate 8/5/03: Great cookie / caramel malt profile, but not much else. Could do with a little more hops or some spices. My original rating stands.

My first Dunkel! Why did I wait so long? I dig this Dunkle fo’ shunkle. Malt IS a good thing!