Spaten Dunkel - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

RickS95

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Comes out of the green bottle a medium brown color. It's almost translucent, despite the brown and has a thin white head that has no retention.

Has an earthy, sourish, malt smell. Maybe some licorice in the background.

Tastes like is smells, only there's a breadiness to it, with the slightest hint of chocolate and coffee in the swallow.

It's kind of sour and kind of bitter from beginning to end.

I liked this more than I expected, probably because it's a German lager and not a crappy American lager. It's just more refined than the lagers I'm used to.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 03:58:21 | More by RickS95

metter98

New York

3.55/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear dark amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin dense beige head that quickly dissipated, leaving only a ring of bubbles on the surface around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of dark and caramel malts in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the initial taste is quite malty with flavors of caramel and a bit of sweetness; however this is quickly offset by flavors of grassy hops and a mild amount of bitterness that continues through the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied, smooth and a bit thin (but not watery) on the palate with a low to moderate amount of carbonation. There are some hints of dryness in the finish.
O: The beer is easy to drink and rather sessionable. I would have no problem having more than one of these at a time because it’s not very filling.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 23:26:19 | More by metter98

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Spaten makes some really good stuff. They're Dunkel is also quite tasty. This beer pours out as a clear brown color with a tan foamy head. the head settles and leaves us with a nice roasted nutty aroma with some pilsner aromas hidden in the back. The beer tastes good, its got a nice dry roasted flavor to it. The mouthfeel is quite drinkable. It's good dark German brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 04:10:07 | More by Knapp85

mjurney

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance:
Amber-brownish color, clear. Some carbonation. Thin head.

Aroma:
Rich maltiness in the nose, toasted, touch of molasses.

Taste:
Malt is very rich... I get biscuity, toasted, just a touch of nutty and molasses. Hop character is very mild at the end, yet is pretty crisp. Body is medium, carbonation is very soft.

Finish:
Very smooth finish, almost crisp.

Overall:
For a Dunkel Lager, it's very good.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 21:46:10 | More by mjurney

TheWhiskerReview

Tennessee

2.48/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a brilliant reddish-mahogany and smells bready and faintly malty with delicate touches of cereal and apricot. The nose is a little weak considering the color and that weakness continues on the palate which feels a little watered down. A slight oily maltiness and a balancing, but equally nonstriking, hoppiness lead to a crisp and very short finish.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 04:55:43 | More by TheWhiskerReview

Bung

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. Pretty solid amber/brown pour. Minimal white head.

Aroma, Chocolate malt, lager yeast.

Taste is more pronounced. Malt, toffee some herbal earthyness. Typical German lager yeast hints. Very light chocolate in there as well. Finishes with some light chocolate and tea.

Lighter bodied with ample carbonation. Drinks very well, was surprised this was listed at even 5.5%. Good standard German version of the German style.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 03:34:43 | More by Bung

bmwats

Louisiana

3.6/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into an Aventinus weizenbock glass.

A: Medium dark brown. Pours a slight bubbly, white head. Medium carbonation. Head disintegrates quickly leaving just a slight beer ring. No lacing.

S: Yeast, caramel, and molasses. Kind of a sweet tea thing going on.

T: Nice yeasty flavor with molasses and a little peat.

M: Heavy carbonation feel. Bittersweet palette with a peaty aftertaste that lasts throughout.

D: Light body, with a little robustness.

Atmosphere is pretty nice. Appearance is very average, nose is a nice combination of yeast and sweetness. Tastes like it smells. Yeast and sweet. Overall, this is a good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 05:33:02 | More by bmwats

vazy

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Its a dark rich brown color, somewhat coffee. Hoppy with some caramel malt flavors. Caramel notes and slight floral nots. Its really rich and its maltiness smooths out. Its a good beer if you ask me. it has a nice balance of hops and malts. Its a medium feel, not too heavy. Its a nice session beer, I'd drink this with a meal.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 23:43:19 | More by vazy

gabedivision

New York

3.28/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle to a pint glass.

A- Dark reddish brown, light to almost no head.

S- Malty, yeasty smell that goes bland as the further up your nose.

T- Bitter and malty.

M- Comes off very strong and leaves pale and watery.

D- Nice drinkability for its style, but nothing to write home about.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 04:04:56 | More by gabedivision

MurphyMacManus

Texas

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz. green bottle into pilsener glass.

A: Mahogany with a short-lived, off-white head. Head is moderately sticky and leaves some lace.

S: Clean. Not much to go on. Something sweet. Brown bread-like aroma from the malt, but very little hop character. Also, because it's a lager, the yeast doesn't do anything special in this category.

T/M: Slightly sweet, very malty with that brown bread character from the aroma. Slight bitterness to balance and prevent the finish from being cloying.

D: hmm...lager, moderately low alcohol content, balanced, no off-flavors...of course it's highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 00:32:22 | More by MurphyMacManus

TacoShark

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass, served at 45f.

A: Minimal head retention and light lacing. Beer has a red-brown color that seems slightly thin for the style. Prominent rising bubbles: this one's gonna be carbonated.

S: All of the specialty malts that go into a dunkel come out swinging on the nose: this beer has a very malty aroma. It's fairly sweet, with notes of buttered toast, and no noticable hop characteristic. Very nice.

T: Doesn't quite follow through on the aroma. The taste is somewhat thin, actually. Very little in the way of bitterness and hop complexity, and the malt characteristics are lighter than one might expect from a dunkel, and similar to a much lighter lager.

M: This has the mouthfeel of a fairly large beer. Big carbonation gives it a tingly, effervescent feel that's quite refreshing. Ends with a clean malty finish.

D: A great smell and feel, with a fairly subdued flavor, make this beer, I think, rather dangerous! I was done with mine before I really was aware I'd finished it. It's a good lager for session drinking.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 05:33:12 | More by TacoShark

Erish

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. I poured this bottle into a large wine glass.

A: clear medium reddish-brown color, cream-colored head with adequate retention, thin cap and decent lacing.

S: gentle fruity nose, cherry, Germanic yeast funk, a bit of sulfur.

T: fruity and lightly sweet grain up front, the middle is earthy, with a nice lingering sweetness, the finish has a vanilla creaminess with floral and fruity notes.

M: medium-bodied, creamy, moderate carbonation, silky finish.

D: I really enjoyed this beer, and look forward to trying more examples of this style.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 02:32:13 | More by Erish

brentk56

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear burnt caramel color topped by two fingers of ecru foam that leaves a few dots behind

Smell: Crusty brown bread; somewhat grainy

Taste: Brown bread, up front, followed by a twangy, grainy character through mid-palate; the finish, however, is clean with hints of nuts, brown bread and chocolate powder

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation; a bit thin

Drinkability: An acceptable product but there are better dunkels from the old country than this

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 00:19:50 | More by brentk56

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark walnut with a burnished look and good clarity, but a somewhat short head. Smells surprisingly fruity, followed by a light graininess, a touch of chalky malt, and a tiny bit of grain sourness. The taste is even grainier, with more of that fruitiness and a somewhat seltzer-like finish. Somewhat pleasant, but needs more depth- especially on the finish. As is, it could have been made by Shiner.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 02:59:14 | More by Georgiabeer

BigPlay1824

New York

3.8/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Served in a flute glass

A: pours a deep amber brown with a thick head of frothy foam that is off white in color and disipates at a quick rate, leaves no lacing

S: sweet scent with a slight malt and nutty backing

T: starts off sweet and then a nice malt flavor works its way in, sweetness lingers on the pallet

D/M: smooth drinking, sweetness makes it easy to drink but it does sit slightly heavy, nice carbonation tingle

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 02:56:47 | More by BigPlay1824

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up at Bierkraft in Brooklyn because it was available via the single bottle and I've never had it before. It wasn't the best beer that I've had lately but it was enjoyable and relatively mellow. Not having many offerings of this style leads me to believe that most are like that, but it's hard to say since there aren't a lot of these available around here.

Poured a solid brown with some head and not much of an aroma. The mouthfeel was a bit thin and there was no lacing to be seen after each sip. The taste was that of caramel, molasses, and a bit of nut and had I not looked at the bottle, I would have felt that this was a Brown Ale or something similar to that. This went down pretty easily and like some other reviewers on here, I expected this to "brighten up" as I worked my way down the bottle. Alas, the first sip wasn't much different than the last and beers just don't get much more plain than this.

If you're looking to try more than one, this wouldn't be a bad choice as the alcohol is barely detectable. I wish this had more of an aroma and a punch to it but sometimes, a beer has to be unassuming and I need to just stop overanalyzing and just enjoy it. If this is that beer, than so be it! It's not a bad choice and as I said before, I wish there were more to choose from on my local shelf so I could get a better feel for this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 00:47:12 | More by JerzDevl2000

haddon

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

had this on tap at flying saucer in Nashville.

dark mocha color with decent off-white head. little lacing down pint glass. looks like it has potential

notes were a little light on the nose. did catch some malty caramel smells with lightly toasted grains and nuts. was expecting more considering its appearance

sweet malts on the palate. cocoa & caramel with very little hop presence. kept waiting for more to come through as it warmed but didn't happen

light to medium body with light carbonation

this beer was drinkable but borderlines on not much happening. I kept thinking it was going to start slow and take off, but no. not bad and not great. just OK.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2010 04:52:08 | More by haddon

redzone3120

Delaware

3.15/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Very deep and dark with a hint of red, similar to a Coke. The head is a creamy brown color about half a finger thick, dissipates quickly.

S - Strongest smell is yeasty and somewhat sour. Has hints of toasted malts (I think).

T - First thing, the flavor of this brew is nowhere as strong as its appearance. Has a very mild flavor but not bad. Definitely can taste some toasted malt but not really sure what else.

M - Starts and finishes crisp and clean, almost no aftertaste. Carbonation is good but slightly sharp on the tongue.

D - A drinkable beer that is crisp and refreshing. A little too mild for my taste but would go well with almost any type of food.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 03:37:05 | More by redzone3120

Bobby12many

Wisconsin

2.8/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - Cola brown with very little head, even with an aggressive pour.

S - Wheat, mixed with a very distinct light-struck funk. Some Caramel malts in the background, but are hard to discern through the off funkiness.

T - A bit better than the smell, but still pretty disappointing. Lots of malt, mostly of the sweet variety. Pretty one dimensional but not bad.

M - A bit watery, even for the style, without much carbonation. Feels quite limp and thin.

D - The thin feel of this mixed with its slightly off nose makes it a tough one to enjoy. It is an easy drinking Lager, but far from interesting. Overall just an average beer that I doubt I will buy again. (if anything, I may pick up another bottle in the future just to make sure it wasnt a bad bottle due to improper storage. the lightstruck hint in the nose has me a bit concerned that this bottle was not truly representative of this brew)

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 01:54:08 | More by Bobby12many

bagpiper2005

Idaho

3/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pour: Ice tea color with a small ring of head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing on the glass.

Smell: Extremely weak. Some wheat and bread, but that's about it.

Taste: Sweet caramel and wheat malts. Not much else going on. Lightly bready, but lacking the rich flavors of banana or clove that you've come to expect out of a good German wheat beer. One-dimensional.

Mouthfeel: Light and crisp. Carbonation somewhat overdone.

Drinkability: It's pretty drinkable, more like drinking sparkled water.

Final Notes: Not impressed. You could do much better than this one. And for God's sake stop with the green bottles!

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 00:01:52 | More by bagpiper2005

bellafromsocal

California

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A deep red/brown appearance with little head. Smelled malty with a hint of carmel. You can taste the malt and carmel (although it's not a stong taste) and it is not overly sweet. Has a mild toasty finish. This beer was a little too carbonated for me and also a little too light and watery.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-01-2010 15:34:18 | More by bellafromsocal

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle at 42* into a pint glass.

A: This pours a deep mohagany color with a tiny bit of head that does not last long.

S: It shows notes of bready malts, some caramel, and a mild sourness that intensifies as it warms.

D: The taste is that of wet bread, caramel, and lactic sourness.

M: It is much lighter than I imagined and slightly watery.

D: This was quite a letdown for my first time trying the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 03:51:08 | More by bucklemyshoe

bigrzman

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours out from a 12 OZ bottle with a clear freshness date. medium Brown to dark brown in color, effervescent carbonation, and wispy head. Smells of herbal hops up front with a roasted malt back, very noticeable. Taste is of a herbal medicine hop up front again with a sweet caramel malt in the back with a notes of grass and grains. Mouthfeel is thin and bubbly and has a balance between drying and thirst quenching like a Dunkel should! This beer was made for drinking and drinking is what I do, I will drink a lot of these. Easy drinking, good taste and refreshing! This style has been hit on the head and then some. Great beer that is appropriate to this style to bad it had a hit in the looks department.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 21:23:05 | More by bigrzman

Sachsenfreude

Germany

3.45/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Overall pretty average for the style, like a watery Bock beer. Flavors are pretty subdued and one taste mostly malt sweetness in the aftertaste. Smells like the taste, some light, sweet malts. Ok amount of lacing, but retains its head poorly. This beer is smooth and light, with a crisp bite in the finish. Pretty good stuff, quite drinkable. This is really nothing special but is true to the style. Not an offensive beer at all, so long as one does not pay too much for it, this beer will not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 06:17:26 | More by Sachsenfreude

rebel1771

Florida

3.78/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark reddish brown with little head.

S: Aroma of freshly baked bread and candied raisins.

T: Very light on flavor comprising of sweet bready malts with a hint of toasted grain.

D: Overall it's a solid beer, wouldn't mind a bit more flavor though.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2010 23:11:39 | More by rebel1771