Warsteiner Premium Dunkel

Brewed by Warsteiner Brauerei
Style: Dunkel
Warstein, Germany

This is supposed to be just like Isenbeck. Tastes great and would be a daily drinker if it was cheaper and more accessible. Pretty damn good dark lager. Re-rate: This one is not quite as good as I once thought. No complaints, a nice light bodied and refreshing beer that I will have again however nothing special.

Cold 12oz bottle: Pours a clear cola color with a faint patch of light tan bubbles. Aroma is of rich malts, raisins, plums, biscuits, molasses and caramel with notes of citrus and smoke. Smooth, light bodied and moderately carbonated. Ending is malty sweet.

Bottle. Dark copper colour with mostly diminishing white head. Nice hoppy and malty aroma with a hint of smoke. Flavor somewhat weak. Runs a little watery on the palate. Average finish. Certainly not the best o dunkels - but rather nice though.

500 ml can - pours a deep mahogany with a large but short-lived tan head. Slightly metallic German hop character in the nose, with just a touch more caramel notes than the regular Warsteiner. Flavour much the same, and the slightly sweeter quality derived from the darker malt is the only thing that sets this apart from a whole lot of Euro-lagers. Serviceable, sessionable - yes, but is this a good example of the style? I would say no, this is far too thin, and I would take the local and far tastier Denison’s dunkel over this anyday.

Draught @ West 50, Mississauga, ON: Brown in colour, much more transparent and light in colour than I’d expected. A thin head that soon disappeared. The aroma was pleasing, quite a bit of roasted malt, some black licorice. The taste was surprisingly subdued, almost bland, very watery. Elements of those roasted malts and licorice, but all hidden away. Disappointing, I had high expectations.

Bottle pours a clear, mohogany color with a beige head. Some lacing along the glass. Sweet grain aroma. Flavor is light, sweet and malty. The finish is clean and it has a decent dry aftertaste.

I thought this was a very tasty beer. Reddish-black in color. Slight spicy maltiness with clean finish. Traditional dark brown German lager. Very drinkable.

Bottle. Pours dark brown with a small tan head that quickly fades to a thin film. Aroma is of malts and nuts with a funky sourness to it that seemed a little off. Taste is of malts and herbal tea followed by mild hops. Not a negative brew but my scratch will be better spent elsewhere.