Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

I can really only guess as to how this is supposed to be pronounced. This proudly says that it's a product of Germany, and I have no reason to doubt them. It looks pretty damn German. On the plus side, it complies with the German Reinheitsgebot (purity law) of 1536, and I can respect that particular law. While I do enjoy some beers that have extraneous ingredients in them, I like the focus of a beer that confines itself to hops, barley and water. Eventually, yeast was added to the list, and that was a plus.

This says "Authentic Bavarian Dark" on the front, so I went with a glass that is designed for something dark like a stout. As soon as I started to pour, I was afraid that I'd made a mistake. The beer is a very clear dark mahogany that is probably more red than this picture is going to turn out revealing. The head doesn't exactly burst forth, but it's fine, and it results in a single large lily pad in the center of the beer with a thick ring around the sides. The aroma is delightfully that of a Dunkel, as it presents dark fruits, grains, and bread crust.

First sip is fairly compelling. It is moderately watery, but there's enough substance in the beverage to convey quite a bit of flavor. It doesn't have a cloying sweetness or a jarring bitterness. The roasted malts are slightly sweet and bring bread crust with them hard. There's a slight tartness to the end of the beer, but all those are just facets of a beer that reminds me of nothing so much as a strong tea in its presentation (if not its flavor).

Tip-in is very mild carbonation tingle with an almost sour note mixed with wet bread crust and skins of dark fruit. The middle marches in with nuts, some smoke from the toasted malt, and possibly some honey for sweetness. The finish turns quite dry as grains are left on the tongue for the bitterness to swell up and join.

Bottom Line: A very drinkable beer.

3.25/5