Dunkel - Rivertown Brewing Co.

screamking

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Purchased at Jungle Jims Fairfield. 12oz poured into pint glass.

Appearance- reddish brown with light tan head that goes away quickly. 3.5

Aroma-light Carmel,not a lot going on, some malt. 3

Taste-sweet, Carmel color, malty enough, a little toffee but not much. 3.5

Feel- carbonation, grainy, coats mouth and stays for a bit but still a very light and easy drinker. 3.75

Overall- total session beer for me, average for the style, a good gateway beer for people too afraid to jump into deeper beer waters. 3.75

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 03:48:53 | More by screamking

MLKincer

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +7.1%

05-12-2013 05:51:52 | More by MLKincer

doctor_dirk

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +28.6%

05-04-2013 23:37:33 | More by doctor_dirk

derwood294

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev 0%

04-04-2013 01:32:52 | More by derwood294

BuckeyeSlim

Ohio

2.5/5  rDev -28.6%

03-21-2013 08:05:27 | More by BuckeyeSlim

JimmyFlatRock

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev 0%

03-05-2013 23:02:06 | More by JimmyFlatRock

cmarshall0

4/5  rDev +14.3%

02-26-2013 04:41:45 | More by cmarshall0

crytion

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -7.1%

01-29-2013 12:50:23 | More by crytion

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev 0%

01-27-2013 08:09:28 | More by RedneckBeerz

whendeathsleeps

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -7.1%

01-12-2013 23:56:32 | More by whendeathsleeps

dlin0sbb

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -7.1%

12-27-2012 03:03:53 | More by dlin0sbb

OB1

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +21.4%

12-19-2012 17:22:57 | More by OB1

Groomsy

Kentucky

3.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle from the Rivertown Variety "Crate." Poured into a tall pilsner glass.

This European-style lager pours a cola-colored brown and reveals hues of garnet and crimson when held to light. Atop the body sits a short-lived head of off-white soapy film, which later fades to a cap of foam. A spatter of lacy rings are left on the glass through drinking. A vigorous pour resulted in little carbonation springing up from the bottom of the glass.

The nose of the Rivertown Dunkel, though faint, boasts notes of caramel, some toffee, and toasted grains and is dominated by malt. As the beer warms, nutty notes emerge. This sweetness from the malt is balanced by a barely-there scent of some floral-scented hops. While not necessarily groundbreaking for this style, I wasn't expecting it to floor me. The smell is mild, as expected for this style. I do have the advantage of being only 40 minutes away from the brewery, so this is likely a very fresh batch. (Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing how fresh.)

As the Dunkel is an easy-drinking style, the notes from the aroma carry over to the taste. While not disagreeable in any way, don't expect to get knocked away by this beer. This beer is almost overwhelmingly sweet with all the flavors of caramel, roasted grains, and some residual nutty sweetness (think hazelnuts). There's just enough floral spice and earthy bitterness to balance the malt. Make no mistake - this is a classic Dunkel through and through. As far as style goes, I think this is very accurate. It's balanced and easily quaffable; the taste of the lager yeast gives it a crisp finish. Very mellow and smooth with a clean finish.

The beer is smooth-drinking with a slightly overactive bite in the mouth. Though not over-carbonated, it does have a little too much fizz to match the flavor profile. With a medium-thin body, it isn't so heavy that you couldn't drink several or even pair it with some heavy dinner fare. It has a dry and sweet finish, which contributes to the refreshment factor.

This is my first experience with Rivertown Brewery. I'm down the river from their residence, and if this is any indication of the rest of what they can do as a brewery, I'm eager to see what else they can do. While the brewers are self-professed "style Nazis," (as stated in an interview) I think they've given a fresh perspective on what a Dunkel can do and taste like. While a "safe" style, this is not bad and is a good fall-back style.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 00:58:50 | More by Groomsy

raznug

Ohio

2.83/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: This beer pours a crystal clear light brown color and is topped with a solid 2” of off white colored head.
Smell: The aroma of this dunkel is wheat malt and a small amount of grassy hops.
Taste: Its flavor is rather thin and watery not much malt flavor, it is rather blah.
Mouthfeel: This is a thin bodied beer which makes it easy to drink but I think a good dunkel should be at least medium bodied to let the flavor hang around better. Not the best beer from Rivertown.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 14:05:02 | More by raznug

M_Burkey

3/5  rDev -14.3%

08-08-2012 13:15:02 | More by M_Burkey

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours very dark brown, clear and softly reddish with light behind it. One finger of yellowish head, gone before I looked back at the glass. Little lacing.

Smell is warm and grainy, with a nice nutty sweetness. Hazelnuts, grain, and a touch of molasses, with a light background of lager yeast. I like it.

Taste is also pleasantly malty, with a lager twist. Best way I can describe it is warm and full. Like well-soaked grains. Sweetness is low, bitterness is non-existent, but all these soft, subtle flavors make for a very tasty package.

Mouthfeel is fine. Medium-light body, enough carbonation, fairly dry tingly finish.

I like this beer. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy, even though the ABV is under 6%. It has a soft grainy richness that I'm just really enjoying right now. No big flavors, just subtle tasty goodness.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 04:17:16 | More by zeledonia

Ryan011235

Ohio

1.9/5  rDev -45.7%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured into a Samuel Smith pint glass on 2/1/12

Light, faded brown. It settles up in the glass the color of half watered down cola. The less-than-a-finger head is gone in short order, also much like cola. Thin film of retention. No lace.

Aromas of pond water, wood, stale nuts, tangy grains and some dark bread. It has a soapy presence all over the place, too. Heck, it even smells like watered-down cola.

Wow, this tastes... not so good. Tree bark, bitters, burnt grains. Aspirin. There are tangy fruit notions that are mixed up in a general sense of the weird. As it warms, a more proper toasted bread snippet begrudgingly emerges. What is going on here?

The body is thin and riddled with overactive carbonation. Very thin. Not surprisingly so, as the bottle indicates. Putting it on the label doesn't make it much of a surprise does it, Rivertown?

I keep trying Rivertown beers and I keep saying no thanks. At least this is the last one in the fridge for a while. The sad thing is, I can tell there is an alright beer hidden in here just begging to be brewed and bottled well.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 01:56:42 | More by Ryan011235

kruthy

Ohio

2.5/5  rDev -28.6%

01-14-2012 01:13:36 | More by kruthy

mcorwin

Ohio

4/5  rDev +14.3%

12-01-2011 23:16:12 | More by mcorwin

Beejay

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A clear coca cola colored beer, with a nice light tan head.

S: There is definitely a grainy smell to this that I like, but there is also a sweetness there that smells like pancakes that have been soaked through with maple syrup. There is something else in there that I can't quite seem to figure out.

T: Roasted malt, a good caramelized flavor. Mellow and smooth, although there is something in the finish that I am not in love with. Still, pretty decent.

M: Medium in body, with a nice strong carbonation.

O: Overall pretty nice. Easy drinking with a good roasted flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 04:18:52 | More by Beejay

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a weizen glass

A- Poured a reddish brown color with a one finger head that dissipated rapidly. Left no lace

S- Lots of toasted caramel malt, biscuit, and a little bit of a medicinal aroma

T- Lots of toasted caramel malt, some biscuit notes, a little bit of banana like fruitiness, and none of the medicinal notes I got in the aroma

M- Real smooth, nice body, coats the mouth pretty well, with some nice tongue tickling carbonation

O- A very drinkable beer that reminded me a lot of a Marzen. This just seems like a really good everyday beer

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 01:37:20 | More by Hoptometrist

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours a clear dark brown body, no real head at any point, but there is a very thin film and ring of white foam.

S - nutty, dark fruits, roasted wheaty malty smells. Actually pretty nice.

T - roasted malts, dark fruits, a hint of caramel. Quite good. Light, and small, but very nice.

M - smooth and dry. Light, not too thin. A good feel.

O - the best beer I've had from rivertown as of yet. I think this is pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 19:24:43 | More by ColdPoncho

aasher

Indiana

3/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This one pours a light bodied nice hazelnut brown with light amber highlights and a one finger white head that quickly dissipated into nothing. It looks flat after the head dissolves. It smells of flat caramel malts, light sweetness, very grainy, and I detect some light rubber, as in fresh tires rubber. That's strange, and not fair because I love that aroma, but it's weird in a beer. The flavors are of grainy malt with a light malt sweetness with a light bitter finish. It's nothing unique or special. It drinks really light in body but I wouldn't want more than a glass of this. I'd much rather go for Ayinger.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 22:46:01 | More by aasher

ltjska04

Kentucky

3.13/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured out of the older-style Rivertown screw cap bottle, this dunkel is a clear mahogany with a half inch off-white head that quickly recedes to spotting and a ring around the top. The smell is of faint creamed corn with a hint of chocolate in the background but neither is very strong. Also a hint metallic but improves as it warms. Sampled at around the suggested 38F I don't pick up on any dominant flavors. A bit corny tasting but I'm not real sure what it is I detect. The mouthfeel is a bit more carbonated than I would like and prickles my tongue. Overall I find this a moderately bland beer. Probably a good gateway for non-craft drinkers and, while not bad by any means, I can't find anything in it that would compel me to buy more.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 00:56:37 | More by ltjska04

mcallister

Ohio

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chestnut brown in color with a large thin bodied head of tan fading around the circumference leaving a heap in the middle. Some sticky lace.

Nice aromas of caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, and a light nutty quality. Some earthy hops in there.

Delicious Dunkel really hitting the spot. Caramel riddled with a creamy middle and finish. Light toffee flavors mingle with brown sugar and walnut on the finish. Moderate carbonation and light acidity throughout. Very well rounded and quaffable. Good job by Rivertown.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 22:08:07 | More by mcallister