Serve in a willi becher at 7-10 °C
What it tastes like
Dunkel means dark, and that is about all it shares with stout. The colour comes mainly from Munich malt, kilned hotter than pale malt so it carries a deep bread-crust and toasted-nut flavour. Brewers add only a small amount of dark malt, so there is little roast bitterness. The result tastes like the crust of a rye loaf or a well-baked bun, with a whisper of chocolate at most.
This was the everyday beer of Munich and the Bavarian countryside for centuries, long before pale lagers took over the beer halls. Traditional brewers used a decoction mash, boiling part of the mash and returning it, which deepens the malt character and gives that rounded, almost toffee-like richness. Hops are German noble varieties, used for balance rather than aroma. A good dunkel is soft, malty and surprisingly easy to drink. If yours tastes burnt or acrid, the brewer has drifted towards schwarzbier or used too much roasted grain.
Style profile
- Look
- Deep copper to dark brown with ruby glints when held to the light, clear, with a tan, creamy head.
- Aroma and flavour
- Bread crust, toasted nuts and a hint of cocoa or toffee, with only a light herbal hop note and no harsh roast.
- Mouthfeel
- Medium body, soft and smooth, moderate carbonation, finishing malty but not sticky.
- Ingredients
- Mostly dark Munich malt, a touch of roasted or Carafa malt for colour, German noble hops, clean lager yeast, often a decoction mash.
In India
Dunkel is a good answer for the customer who says they do not like dark beer. In India most people expect dark to mean bitter or heavy, and dunkel surprises them. Bengaluru brewpubs with a German list brew it for Oktoberfest and some keep it through the cooler months. Its malt flavour holds up better than delicate hops in a hot cold chain, but it still wants a cold keg and quick turnover. Try it on a rainy evening in place of a stout.
At the Indian table
Food pairings contributed by Anuradha Rao
- Mutton seekh kebabBread-crust malt and grilled minced lamb share the same browned, savoury notes, and the soft body does not fight the spice.
- Mushroom and pea masalaEarthy mushrooms meet the nutty malt in a vegetarian main that stays rich without heaviness.
- Bisi bele bathThe tangy, warmly spiced Karnataka rice dish gets a rounded, malty partner that cools the tamarind edge.
- Chikki made with jaggery and peanutsJaggery and roasted peanut echo the toffee and nut in the beer for an easy after-dinner match.
Brewed in India
Want the long read? Dunkel and schwarzbier