Spaten Dunkel - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – Pours a brown-mahogany color with highlights of red shinning through. Upon pouring there is a small off-white head that fades fast leaving very little lacing on the sides of the glass but a thin film floating atop the brew that lasts for quite some time.

Smell- The aroma is heaviest of a caramel and toffee sweet smell mixed with some notes brown bread and a light amount of cocoa.

Taste – The taste begins with a bready flavor of dark roasted malt with some light chocolate and caramel. The sweeter flavors that were present initially fade quickly as some flavors a more bitter grape/wine come to the tongue. This more bitter wine like flavor as well as a light herbal hop flavor, that comes to the tongue at the end of the taste, end up combining with the roasted malt and the light sweetness to leave a odd fruity, roasty, and somewhat of light bitter tannin flavor to be left the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The thickness and creaminess of the beer was very average with a carbonation level that was average as well. The middle road fits this beer rather well as the darker flavors would likely be better with lower carbonation and higher thickness, while the wine like tannin and sweet flavors are likely better with the opposite (thin body and higher carbonation).

Overall – While at first I wasn’t wild about the brew, it grew on me as I drank it more. The mix of the roasted flavors and the more fermented grape flavors create a rather soothing taste. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 01:11:04 | More by Darkmagus82

kp29

Arizona

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

05-20-2013 00:48:22 | More by kp29

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4/5  rDev +8.7%

05-16-2013 20:42:38 | More by ElizabethEleanor

Cvescalante

Texas

3/5  rDev -18.5%

04-30-2013 06:11:11 | More by Cvescalante

johntandlich

New York

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

04-25-2013 03:15:19 | More by johntandlich

bendukes86

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

04-20-2013 18:41:43 | More by bendukes86

nycavalier22

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%

04-05-2013 22:26:39 | More by nycavalier22

losdizzel

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%

03-29-2013 01:38:23 | More by losdizzel

hersh500

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.7%

03-28-2013 01:14:25 | More by hersh500

Tjvan2

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

03-28-2013 00:42:30 | More by Tjvan2

RyanTeeter

New York

4.38/5  rDev +19%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

a: A very pretty beer. Ruby red chocolate in color. Very clear, with limited amount of light allowewd through. Head was a pretty khaki color but left as quickly as it came.

s: Wonderful citrus roasted chocolate flavors! Very delightful. I am getting some vanilla aromas on the end.

t: The flavor is delicious. I really am enjoying it. A very smooth chocolate flavor with an ending flavor of vanilla and grassy malts. Again, very plesant.

m: Nice coverage witin the mouth. Not real heavy but not very light. Light oil texture, but each sip and it's flavors all manage to disappear between gulps.

o: I know I mentioned it earlier but I really enjoyed this beer. Veryy unique flavors - reminds me of some vanilla casket beers, only lighter on the vanilla and heavier on the chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 01:42:19 | More by RyanTeeter

KevinGordon

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +8.7%

03-19-2013 14:21:36 | More by KevinGordon

BetterBeerPlz

Arkansas

4/5  rDev +8.7%

03-18-2013 13:16:56 | More by BetterBeerPlz

T100Mark

California

3.09/5  rDev -16%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A 12 ounce bottle (no Euro Weenie bottle) in a shaker pint glass.

Appearance - Dark amber color. The head disappeared almost immediately. Zero lacing.

Smell - Nice enough.

Taste - Malt. Carmel. Herbs. Faint smokey flavor. Slightly sweet. Very smooth. Mild.

Mouth - Very little body. Almost no carbonation. Unimpressive.

Overall - Not bad but not good either. I expect more from the Germans. Is this beer always this flat?

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 03:01:29 | More by T100Mark

Vyronian

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%

03-14-2013 20:17:23 | More by Vyronian

mcewesr

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -18.5%

03-13-2013 17:22:17 | More by mcewesr

Herky21

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

03-12-2013 00:00:36 | More by Herky21

DragLine6

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

03-09-2013 06:57:44 | More by DragLine6

TastyAdventure

Kentucky

3.94/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Beautiful dark ruby color. Thin white head that fades a little too quickly

Mouthfeel - Could use some more carbonation. other wise, a nice consistency.

Taste - Dark fruit, I taste raisins, a touch of bitterness to help balance the great malty sweetness, nothing overpowering,

Smell - freshly poured, it's amazing, rich, full flavor, dark fruit,

Overall - tastes like a beer that should have more alcohol, I really wish it did. If it had as much alcohol as Spaten's Optimator (7.5%), I'd get a sixer of this regularly. Nonetheless, a great tasting brew with plenty to offer. My first dunkel, and based on it's low ratings, I'm guessing I need to go try some more of this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 00:36:54 | More by TastyAdventure

TastyIsBeer

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

02-24-2013 21:25:18 | More by TastyIsBeer

atone315

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%

02-23-2013 20:53:21 | More by atone315

GennyCreamAle

New York

4/5  rDev +8.7%

02-23-2013 04:02:52 | More by GennyCreamAle

Kwak78

California

4/5  rDev +8.7%

02-21-2013 07:16:04 | More by Kwak78

josephwa

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -11.7%

02-19-2013 05:42:34 | More by josephwa

bsopko

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%

02-16-2013 17:54:33 | More by bsopko