Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

Greywulfken

New York

4.61/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: hazy warm wood brown beer in the always stunning weizen glass - fat cap of white foam left some lace arms down the glass

S: warm, sweet wheat malt and fruitier high notes

T: you are drinking dark semi-sweet wheat, hints of the banana/clove-ish-ness and traces of warm chestnut. Words can't do justice - one of the best wheat malt flavors you're going to find

M: soft, smooth, creamy, fuzzy

O: it's a world-class beer. Regardless of personal preferences, all BAs should find their way here at some point. It is an exemplary beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 16:03:13 | More by Greywulfken

barczar

Kentucky

4.21/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a murky medium brown with yeast sediment floaties and a frothy, puffy 2 inch cream head that won't quit. As it does dissipate, it leaves sticky lacing.

Orange, coriander, and banana accompany yeast in the initial aroma. Notes if clove and lemon complement the wheat character well. Citrus dominates.
There's a slightly bready note and a touch of floral sweetness.

Flavor reveals tart lemon, bubblegum, and banana underlying a wheaty, slightly bready backbone. Clove, orange, and slightly plasticy phenols add complexity. The finish is fairly bready, peppery, and floral.

Body is moderate to a touch light, with fairly high carbonation.

Definitely more malt character than the hefe, which suits my palate well. Excellent yeast esters.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 21:58:31 | More by barczar

FosterJM

California

4.18/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1760th review on BA
Bottle to Speiglau Wheat glass
500 ml

App- Out of the bottle, a mix of browns and a bit of golds.A nice puffy 2-1/2 finger head that was a long time to settle. A bit of whites flecked in the center of the glass. Nice deep cling and lace.

Smell- A very good Dunkelweizen. A good mix of the base hefeweizen with a deeper richer malt nose. A bit of dark fruits like a quad with some rich caramels. A classic aroma to say the least.

Taste- Very similar to the the Hefe from this brewery. They nail the style with a bit of malts, wheat and caramel on the flavors. Well balanced and a bit spicy. The overall flavors and tastes dont overwhelm but compliment eachother.

Mouth- A bit of a lighter medium body with a pretty thick carbonation. A bit more caramel on the residual flavors than i wouldve thought, but very good non the less.

Drink- Its in the top 250 for a reason. I like the hefe better though.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 00:45:46 | More by FosterJM

Nordura

Wisconsin

4.36/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

No question this is a fine, fine beer. Nice and toasty, with some apple and banana, but more apple. Some nice spice accents.

Really exceptional mouthfeel, nice carbonation, so drinkable.

If you love malty beers, you'll love this. In my top 5 for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 22:30:57 | More by Nordura

Hendry

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

For anyone that has travelled to Germany to taste fresh Dunkel beer, they may have experienced the same disappointment if they do not speak the language in restaurants or pubs. Unless you are buying bottled beer in a store, waiters and bartenders will purposely ignore your request and serve you the local brew (in France they did the same to me when I ordered a Paulaner: they tried to serve me Kronenbourg).

Almost opaque brown, this rich malty brew has a nice hop spice to it that sets it apart from the bland counterparts of which there are many. There is a creamy goodness to this dunkel that eludes the price and is well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 01:24:46 | More by Hendry

dwren89

Virginia

4.54/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: brownish-gold, very hazy almost murky, good head retention

Aroma: banana, clove, can definitely detect a darker malt aroma than a normal hefeweizen, but it is very subtle

Taste: yeasty with balanced banana and clove hefeweizen taste with some hints of dark bready/caramel/toasty notes

Mouthfeel: effervescent, slight grainy mouthfeel with smooth edges, short finish, easily quaffable, medium-light body

Overall Impression: Great example of a traditional German Dunkelweizen, balancing fruit esters with some dark, toasty flavors. Easily quaffable, and refreshingly different character from most hefeweizens.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 19:48:03 | More by dwren89

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.36/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A- Not really sure how to define the color of this one. Almost ranges from a watered down cola color, to a pale brown. Body is cloudy, but light makes it's way through. Big frothy tan head on top that hangs around for a while.

S- Lots of banana, wheat, grainy bread, hint of zesty citrus.

T- Great flavors of wheat, banana, caramel, grains, even some tobacco flavors sneak in towards the end. The aroma seemed similar to the traditional hefe, but the darker flavors come through in a big way in the taste.

M- Medium bodied, somewhat creamy while maintaining nice carbonation. Very pleasant.

O- Really a solid beer. Great flavors, complex, enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 00:16:32 | More by stephenjmoore

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.54/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: poured from a 500 ml bottle into a weizen glass, yellow brown colored with a huge fluffy white head that dissipates leaving some lacing, cloudy

S: yeasty, banana, clove, coriander, spice, toasted malt, biscuit

T: banana, clove, earthy, toffee, bread, caramel, malt, spices, lemon, anise

M: light to medium bodied with good carbonation, refreshing

O: an excellent dunkelweizen with all of the right qualities for the style

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 22:53:54 | More by M_C_Hampton

djura

Serbia

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got it in Romania.

A - Huge foam,darker,lots of bubbles,full body,ruby color.
S - Cereals,light smell of dark fruits,very familiar hefe weiss smell.
T/M - Drinkable,crispy,smooth to drink. Full taste. Doesn't feel like dark beer,but have more complex and stronger taste then light hefe beers. No carbonation.

O - Honestly, so good beer,i could drink it instead of breakfast.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 21:21:20 | More by djura

scottfrie

California

4.49/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle into SA perfect pint glass.

A: Pour a clear woody brown color with golden highlights beneath a very active, dense, thick, light tan head that lasted forever. Head eventually collapsed into a massive layer that left
S: Sweet, spicy and decadent smelling. Clove and banana dominated with hints of wheat, lemon and brown sugar. Smells awesome.
T: Clove, brown sugar, honey, wheat, dry roasted grains, molasses, banana, and faint lemon all come through, maybe with a touch of black pepper and chalky yeast as well. The finish is spicy and reminiscent of banana bread (full of nuts, raisins, nutmeg, cinnamon etc), and the aftertaste is earthy, peppery and flavored of apple juice or cider.
M: Medium-full body, fluffy, dense and soft carbonation frothy up on my tongue, with a creamy and fulfilling mouthfeel.
O: A fantastic beer and a great darker alternative to a normal hefeweizen. I’m no expert but probably one of the best in the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:05:52 | More by scottfrie

guityler83

Wisconsin

4.74/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: A hazy penny copper color on the thin part of the glass melds to dark brown leather on the thick part. Lots of pillowy big bubbles with an aggressive pour.

S: Cloves and bananna esters peek through the wheat bread armoma.

T: Bananna, toast, no hop flavor detected. Slightly sweet, but so sessionable you can't help but take big gulps.

M: moderate carb with a smooth body. nice crisp clean finish. A tingly sensation on the toungue possibly from the residual yeast, nice!

O: This is by FAR my favorite wheat beer... and its the first time I've had it. I'll be seeking out more Dunkelweizen's in the near future!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 00:57:46 | More by guityler83

DIM

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

a: This was a muddy looking caramel color. It poured with a massive, rocky head that refused to dissipate.

s Banana, cloves, plus hints of caramel and cocoa. Very bready overall.

t: This wasn't quite as fresh tasting as I hoped it would be. Yeasty cloves and banans lightly dusted with cocoa.

m: Maybe an old bottle, this wasn't quite as full bodied does I hoped it would be.

o: A bit of a disappointment overall. I just don't think this bottle was very fresh. Still, this wasn't bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 23:41:44 | More by DIM

minterro

Michigan

4.18/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I believe this is my first beer of this style, and little to no experience means I don't have much to go off of. Bought this beer on a whim in Hancock, MI at their CO-OP, the whole oldest brewery thing caught my eye.

A&S: From the Dunkelweizen description this beer pretty much nails the appearance category; murky brown, huge clumps of yeast, great head retention (light brown coloration). The smell isn't very powerful but it does contain pleasant banana yeastiness along with some sweet maltyness.

T&M: Super drinkable for starters. Has the classic hefewisen banana and clove tones. Similar to the nose as far as the malts are concerned. Nothing surprising or nothing standing out. very crisp with little bitterness, medium to light body.

overall: I was happily surprised by this beer. Some of these old European breweries have beer that tastes remarkably similar (mostly due to the purity laws), but this beer and this style incredible delightful. The cost on this beer is extremely low compared to the quality (I believe it was around 3 dollars). Would highly recommend this beer to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 08:31:59 | More by minterro

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.36/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a Half Acre tulip.

A- pours dark brown with a 2 finger dark tan head. Big walls and leopard spotting of lacing cover the glass.

S- sweet maple, toast, toffee, caramel

T- huge sweet malts, toast, caramel, toffee, light roast, and slight bitterness.

M- medium body and carbonation. Thick, syrupy and creamy feel.

O- very good dunkel. Huge sweet malts with some light toast notes.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:24:43 | More by kawilliams81

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.99/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

epic value at under 4 bucks per bottle. the pour is really cloudy brownish pinkish color, kind of odd really, with a really robust pure white head of thick foam, long lasting, and leaves good lace. the color is funky, and I think this is far superior on tap, but the beer itself is amazing. it smells like good german hefe yeast and dark wheat malt, some solid toast on the grains, and a refreshing citrus element. the flavor is identical to the nose, rich and complex, quite fruity, but a little more roast than the weizenbock or the regular hef. I like the additional body it provides, there is a nice soft feel too, although the carbonation is still quite lively. its traditional, its cheap, and its damn good. how can you beat that? I think of the four ive had from this brewery, I like the regular hefe the best, but all have been extraordinary. again, the value cannot be beat!

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 23:23:46 | More by StonedTrippin

Huffs

New York

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Weiss Beer glass which developed a tan frothy head. Head was full and lasting with little lacing. Aroma was hoppy, almost grainy with a hint of sweetness and malt, Appearance was a light brown / straw color with a cloudy hue. Taste was clean and hoppy with hints of citrus and grain and slight caramel. Tasted more like a Weiss than a dark Weiss. Aftertaste was clean and dry with a light dry mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:51:06 | More by Huffs

brewskifan55

Mississippi

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass

A: Fig brown with a tan, two finger head that lasts and lasts. Lacing for days. What a beauty.

S: Bananas, dark fruits, cloves.

T: Follows nose with a malty base. Sweet, yeasty, caramel. Yum!

M: Medium to heavy with great, frothy carbonation.

O: A delight in drinking. A marvelous hybrid of light and dark. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 15:21:56 | More by brewskifan55

lefty

Illinois

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pouring from a 16.9 oz bottle into a glass.

I decided to buy this beer based on the ratings from my fellow reviewers and I couldn't be more happy that I did. Right from the initial pour, this beer was absolutely perfect.

The pour was smooth and had a nice three finger head, the color was a nice amber brown/yellow. The aroma was an excellent banana-wheat smell with a perfect balance.

The taste fully lived up to my expectations based on previous reviews. A great wheat taste with a smooth fruit/banana/clove mix. In the mouth it was very smooth. It was so smooth it almost tasted like a "flat" soda on the palate, which shows how smooth it was (and yes, I am 100% confident this was a fresh beer).

Overall, I rate this right up there with the Hofbrau Dunkel Weisse as one of the best beers I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 23:55:55 | More by lefty

BierStein711

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle poured into a Two Brothers Brewing Company Weizen

Two finger burnt dark head

Dark amber colored ale, mild carbonation

Smells: banana, cloves, raisins,and herbs

Taste: Banana, cloves, medicinal finish

Mouthfeel: smooth and warming!

Overall, this is an exceptional weissbier!! However, I made a cardinal error of keeping the bottle in the refrigerator too long. This stopped me from experiencing the full flavors of the beer!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:56:21 | More by BierStein711

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Weihenstephaner is famous for it's history. Their beers are still highly rated after being invented hundreds of years ago. Their brews are readily available in many locations in the US, but many people pass them over for the rare finds. It is when I review their beers that I am reminded how amazing they are.

This beer smells really good. This beer has a lot of really good esthers and malt. I recommend really pulling in the great balance and clean smell.

The flavor is also excellent. The Hefe-Dark is a very good example of flavor following the smell consistently. What you smell is what you get.

Needless to say, this is an amazing beer. I'm glad I got around to reviewing it.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 20:28:21 | More by ummswimmin

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 mL bottle from the LCBO; best before 02/07/2013. I have been seeking this one out for a while - dunkelweizens aren't necessarily my favourite type of wheat beer, but past experience with Weihenstephaner suggests this will be nothing less than a superb example of the style.

Pours an amber-orange colour, clouded up with suspended sediment, and topped with two fingers of fluffy, creamy, sparkling white head. As with most of the beers I've had from this brewery, the head retains itself nicely, lasting well into the glass, smearing the sides with lacing before it dies down into a bumpy cap/collar. The aroma is fresh and yeasty, very reminiscent of their flagship hefe - lots of toasted wheat malt, some banana, bubblegum and clove spice notes, with a few added twinges of dark fruit or brown sugar. Pretty enticing for sure.

Most of the features from the nose follow through into the flavour - lightly toasted wheat malt provides the backbone, with the usual accompanying notes of banana, bubblegum, yeast and cloves. Much like the aroma, the taste certainly reminds me of their regular hefe - though this one comes across with toastier malts, more of a caramel/brown sugar sweetness amongst the banana, and perhaps a bit more spice toward the finish. The aftertaste is of wheaty malt and spice, and doesn't cling to the palate for very long. The mouthfeel is silky smooth, with moderately high carbonation that gives it a prickly feel on the palate. On the light side of medium-bodied - a little watery, but all of the sediment gives it at least some thickness. Very easy to drink, but as with any dunkel I doubt I'd be up for more than one or two glasses per night.

Final Grade: 4.35, a solid A grade. Although I have always been a pretty big hefeweizen fan, dunkelweizen acceptance has eluded me - probably because there have never been any particularly good ones available locally. Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel changes all that for me, as it shows the same level of quality and craftsmanship as their flagship hefe. Even though I probably like the hefe a bit more, this stuff is still a strong contender in the wheat beer category, and undoubtedly the best dunkel I've ever had. This is a delicious brew, and no fan of German wheat beer should hesitate to try it. A magnificent selection for my 400th review on BA, one that I will assuredly pick up again soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 17:10:15 | More by thehyperduck

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a fiery dark orange, bordering on amber, with a massive, cream colored, two fingers-width head and medium sized, creamy bubbles. The body of the beer is dark orange and hazy, with a proper Hefe-haze, and a light carbonation moving through the beer. In the glass the beer is really quite lovely, and reminds me of corn syrup. Lacing is thick and fluffy on the sides of the glass, leaving almost-full rings. On the nose the beer smells richly creamy with banana and a good nip of clove spice. The darker wheat malt seems to give the beer some caramelly hints, and the esters suggests plantains as well as bananas fried in brown sugar. There is even a faint citrus note coming from either the light hops or the yeast, and further adding to the complex smell.

The beer tastes of subdued banana, spicy clove, and sweet wheat grain. It begins surprisingly light with hints of plantains, before opening into unripe banana flavors with spicy clove notes, and then folding into a thick wheat grain and spice flavoring that lasts in the mouth. In the middle of the taste there is also an almost-pear flavor alongside the banana esters of the yeast, and there also rich caramel notes alongside the wheat grain in the aftertaste. On the mouth, the beer feels creamy and smooth, with a medium body. Carbonation is velvety, and the tongue is left sticky in the back with malty saliva, while the rest of the mouth feels quite dry. Overall this is a lovely Dunkelweizen. I feel that some of the rich banana esters from Weihenstephan’s Hefeweizen are lost here in the darker malts, which is too bad, but the addition of heavy wheat grain flavors is nice. The smell is definitely more complex than the taste though. This beer is a classic and definitely worthy of a taste, though I hold their Hefeweizen up as a better beer than this.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 20:21:56 | More by Maxwell

acelin

Kansas

4.73/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a large bottle into a Weihenstephaner wheat beer glass.

Gorgeous head, beautiful medium nut brown color with golden edges, huge lacing all down the glass.

Smell of cloves, banana, nutmeg, wheat malt, and sugar.

A taste for the ages, beautiful banana flavors, with dark caramel, nuttiness, sugar, wheat, baked baguettes, absolutely delicious.

Mouthfeel is thick, but super sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 17:10:44 | More by acelin

merc7186

New York

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into snifter

A: Brownish Orange Hue, Passes Mild Light, White Head, Mild Lacing

S: Banana, Wheat, Burnt Rice

T: Wheat, Dark Malts, Banana, Oranges

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Lightly Sweet

Overall, a pretty solid dunkleweiss that provides the best of both worlds.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 02:33:40 | More by merc7186

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a pint bottle into a Guinness imperial pint glass.

Appearance- Very hazy amber/orangeish color. Two fingered fluffy white head that left no lacing.

Smell- Absolutely incredible. Lemon, orange, coriander, yeast, malts. Very pronounced aromas.

Taste- Yeasty/breadyness up front, some light citrus, not much roasted malt character. No hop profile either.

Mouthfeel- Smooth with a good bit of carbonation.

Overall- This is a good beer, but not my favorite style.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 18:46:36 | More by Seanniek91