Ettaler Kloster Dunkel

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Pours a dark opaque brown, with very little light shining through. There's a two inger off-white head that settle very slowly to a solid cap, that leaves behind a nice shetting of lace. Smell; lots of raosted malts, with toffee and caramel. There was a little bit of chocolate and some hints of rasins, and nuts. Taste; very malty, with caramel, chocolate and bread dough. The raisins and nutty flavors came through, but were not very strong. There was almost no bitterness to speak of, and the finish was on the sweet side. While this wasn't the most complex beer out there, it was a very enjoyable drink. Mouthfeel was medium bodied, and very drinkable.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

NorCal tasting Jan 07 - This was really underwhelming in every sense of the word. Aroma of dirty caramel, perhaps some oxidation. The color of this beer looked like rusty water out of a barrel. Mouthfeel was a bit thin. Flavors were wet paper, sweet malt and little else. To be honest, it wasn't as bad as it sounds. It was drinkable. I suppose there's a time and place for this beer.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Poured a brown color with some copper when held to the light. The head was initially nice, subsided to a normal level, and then gave weak lacing. The aroma was earthy with some caramel. The flavor was caramel, light chocolate and even coffee, with a grassy hop addition. As it warmed, some nuts detectable, but only in the background. This is the third Ettal brew I've had and all have been grassy, they love their Saaz, I guess. The mouthfeel was rather dry but this also had the odd sweet balance. Not many beers that are sweet also come across dry.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

07.23.05 500ml bottle. Deep copper brown pour with small but lasting beige head and fair lace. Aroma is quite mineral, rusty apple, some cashew (buttery) and peat smoke. Flavor is buttery caramel, more mineral than is appealing, and some tannic wet maple wood. Mostly light body, but lingers with an unusual coating slickness. This is a decent enough beer, but it also embodies most of what I don’t like in a many dunkels. Lingering bitterness of wet autumn leaf pile. For a malty beer, I’ll take an alt any day. And I’m not terribly excited to have spent $4.50 on a half liter bottle.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

This is a typical German Dunkel Weiss beer. It has a nice nut brown, slightly reddish color. Nice thick head when poured. The taste is perhaps a little bit on the bland side, but it is a fairly tasty beer.