Gordon Biersch Dunkles

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Dunkel
Palo Alto, California USA

On tap at the Las Vegas location. Very dark amber (almost brown) in colour with medium carbonation. Caramel-toffee sweetness on the nose, with a bit of toasted malt. More toasted malt and toffee in the mouth as well, along with a bit of acidity and roasted nuts. A bit too light bodied, but overal it’s a solid impression of the style. The best of their beers that I sampled.

Tap. Maple syrup and malt aroma. Medium brown color with small head. Molasses/maple syrup and moderate malt flavor. NIce flavor but like their Weizen, a bit weak. If they could get more body, they’d really have some great beers.

Draft Las Vegas Restaurant-No carboantion or aroma. Had the taste of old malt and stale beer. Not to pleasant.

On tap @ Gordon Biersch Mission Valley. Pored a very dark hazy copper color. Nose is mostly of malts....some dark fruit as well. I picked up a nice hint of cherries on the tounge. A very nice Dunkle.

On tap at the San Diego location. Poured a really nice dark red, copper color. Definite caramel, toffee aroma. Nice malty flavor, went down nice and smooth. Very enjoyable.

Draught at the brewpub in Las Vegas
Dark amber color. Aroma of caramel. Caramel taste, much more… full and round than a classic German. Not enough hopping.

Sampler at Honolulu restaurant. Aroma has a chocolate sweetness. Pour dark with an amber hue. The head is creamy offwhite with the flavor a caramel chocolate with maybe a roasted nut.

One of my favorite G-B beers is their dunkles. Dunkles is a dark lager, that has a great malt character, and a very smooth, round, clean body. I had to laugh, I was visiting on Tuesday afternoon, sitting at the bar, and a gentleman came in and said he wanted a beer, but "I don’t want anything dark". If he only knew what he was missing out on, but he did mange to get himself a good Export, so maybe someday he will try the dunkles. Gordon Biersch Dunkles pours to a beautiful, bright, deep ruby/brown color with a thick white and a nice bit of carbonation. This beer has a wonderfully inviting, malty nose. Aromas of sweet malt and nutty aromas invite you in to take a sip. The palate is a firm base of dark malt, lots of good sweet malt flavor paired with some nutty flavors, and a touch of toastiness. The body is so round and clean, making this beer so drinkable. This beer finishes with more good sweet malt and nut flavors up front, and is balanced with enough hop bitterness so it isn’t a cloying finish. This is an exceptional domestic example of dunkles in my opinion. It is a fantastic dark lager showcasing malt flavor, but is a very drinkable beer as well. I could see my self drinking one liter maas krugs of this brew. Of course it is a natural with German fare. I would match this with sauerbraten, red cabbage, and spatzel, or grilled bratwurst with saurkraut and German potato salad. This beer is draught only at the moment, so if you want it, you have to visit one of Gordon Biersch’s locations. If you ever find yourself in Washington, DC, you really should visit this place, it is well worth a stop.