Wednesday 18 April 2012

Beer Review #10: Maisel's Weisse Dunkel

Finally, my first Dunkelweizen. I've been a dedicated Hefeweizen drinker ever since I had my first Paulaner, so I'm surprised I haven't explored this style earlier. This comes from Brauerei Gebruder Maisel in Bayreuth, Germany. It's a dark version of the brewery's popular Maisel's Weisse Original. Typically, these dunkelweizens are maltier than their bright-coloured counterparts, so this should be good. I'll have this in my weizen glass, and drink like a Bavarian. Prost!

Dunkles Hefeweizen at 5.2% ABV

L: Pours a mad looking murky, cloudy brown colour. Good carbonation as expected, and a big foamy off-white head. Leaves a decent lace too. Looks interesting, I don't think I've seen a beer of this colour so cloudy... 7/10

S: Typical Hefe smells all here, banana and other fruits, but with a much maltier character - there's even a hint of chocolate in there. It's balanced well with grassy, citrus and floral scents coming from the hops though. Verrrry interesting.... 7/10

T: Good stuff - banana, citrus, floral notes, very malty on the tongue, with malt staying up all the way through the finish, and a slight suggestion of toffee or caramel. Very pleasantly surprised. 8/10

M: Ah blast. Once again, the mouthfeel here is a bit of a let down. For me, this was weaker than the Franziskaner Hefe, which is a real shame because it had so much going for it. Still, it's not like the beer is ruined. Slight fizz on the tongue, light bodied. 6/10

The verdict: A solid introduction into the style for me. I know I probably go on too much about the mouthfeel but to me it really is the backbone of any beer. It's a question of personal taste I guess. Regardless, this was still a good beer. I don't know if I'd go out of my way to try this one again, but it's certainly got me interested in trying more beers of the style. 7/10

The Drunken Destrier score: 70/100

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