I still remember my very first black lager; what it was, where I bought it, and how much of an eye-opening experience it was for a beer newbie. A dark beer that wasn’t a dark beer; she wasn’t heavy, thick, richly complex, and deep with alcohol warmth. Instead, she was light, clean and refreshingly flavorful with a delicate personality which instantly won me over. While I haven’t been able to locate that first dark lager, I instead have before me another fine German example in the form of the Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel. Let the seduction begin.<br />She poured a clear black-brown with deep russet hues glinting in the passing light. A cream-colored thick head tops her off before fading into a thin tribute to her splendor. No lace to speak of, though she does poof up nicely with some teasing swirls. Breaking the surface is a nose rich with bready malts, sweet caramel notes, raisins, dark fruits, and faint citric esters. The initial mouthfeel and body are light and clean with a mild, frothy texture. Soft chewy bread and caramel notes are up to play first while bitter nuts and lemon zest follow a close second. Adding depth and succulence to her palate are dark fruity notes of raisins, black cherries, and plums. Grassy hops make a play for the middle of Ayinger’s Altbairisch Dunkel’s palate while a clean finish with only a mild aftertaste concludes her performance. It is a pleasant reminder that while she may be dark in color and richer than a light or golden lager, she is still a lager. Clean and refreshingly quaffable, she is perfectly balanced for the ultimate session beer.<br />For the uninitiated, the idea of a dark lager is practically foreign matter to them and about as believable, much less enjoyable, as an alien abduction. Ayinger is here with their Altbairisch Dunkel to prove all that balderdash wrong with a very simple truth: taste me and you will see that there is nothing to fear. Nay, there is much to love and embrace instead.

Crushed with Jakebra. Smells poopy. Color of dirty toilet water. Kinda aight. Taste is kinda sweet, slight roast. If offered for free, I’d take it.

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.

500 ml bottle in Paulaner half mas. Dark brown with lasting head and lace. Roasted hazelnut aroma. Roasted malty nutty earthy grassy flavors with clean finish. Medium body and medium-low carbo. Nice mouthfeel. Delicious. Hard to imagine a better dunkel.

Bottle. A clear, brown beer with a small, beige head. Slightly roasted on the nose, with caramel and a weak note of anise. Sweet flavor with caramel, a touch of salty licorice and some roasted notes. Medium body and decent carbonation. Caramel, roasted malt and some fruity flavors in the finish. A pleasant dunkel. &#40;080829&#41;