Munich Dark

Tasting Notes

This is a traditional style in Munich that is labeled simply "dunkels," meaning "dark." In the United States they are often labeled as "dark beer." Munich dark is usually dark-amber to dark-brown in color. It is distinctly toasted (not burnt), with a nutty, chocolate-like malt sweetness in aroma and flavor. The mouthfeel is typically dextrinous, and often a mild bitterness and/or slight astringency is present. Buttery notes are also sometimes present, but not as a primary flavor.

Ingredients

The grain bill for Munich darks usually consists of more than two-thirds Munich malt, with the balance of the grist composed of pale malt - typically a two-row Pilsner malt - and a small portion of color malt (e.g., black and caramel malts). Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Hersbrucker, Spalt, and Saaz are commonly preferred hops.

Brewing Techniques

Both open and closed fermenters are used in brewing this style. Fermentations are conducted between 4 and 10ºC and last anywhere from 7 to 12 days. They are then gradually cooled to 2 to 4ºC before lagering. Lagering takes from 3 to 8 weeks at -1 to 2ºC. Filtration is done with diatomaceous earth or a combination of both sheet and DE filters, and in most cases these beers are not pasteurized.

The information on this page was provided by beer-brewing.com (http://www.beer-brewing.com).