Beck's Dark - Brauerei Beck & Co.

dgthompson

New York

4.22/5  rDev +39.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am quite surprised at the low rating this beer has. This is a very good dark beer. While a dark beer, it is quite light and crisp in flavor. The flavors hit almost every part of the tongue, not leaving any taste buds alone. The smell is refreshing, doesn't fall into the stale/musty trap that many dark beers have. May not be the tops of the best dark beer around, but one I find very good.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 02:47:27 | More by dgthompson

TAMU99

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev +37%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A sweet dark beer. A strong molasses taste make this a tasty dark beer. Foam dissipates quickly, but served cold it doesn't matter. Very drinkable as there is no bitterness often associated with darks. Kind of a thin mouthfeel, but doesn't really detract from the experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2002 10:04:26 | More by TAMU99

flatblack80

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +33.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

dark warm brown with cream colored head that stays. light lacing on the glass

toasted maltyness with a hop undertone to the smell

light hop flavor with deep caramel and dry, roasted malt flavor.

Nice carbonation in the mouth, very dry with a sweetness that stays on the palate.

very drinkable, small doses. I love to have a few of these around while at the camp fire.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2008 22:20:45 | More by flatblack80

beerluvr

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +32%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My introduction into dark beers, yet not heavy/roasty. Light bodied with moderate hopping make this one great for those not sure about jumping into the dark. A nice way to break into the world of dark beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2002 17:42:20 | More by beerluvr

beckscrusader420

Florida

4/5  rDev +32%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a very good dark beer. Much much better than its skunky green brother. If you like lagers/dark beers and you have the choice between this and regular becks definately go with the dark. It has a much fuller more robust flavor than the skunky green bottle. I've had better beers than Beck's Dark but not many.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2007 19:48:15 | More by beckscrusader420

BierStein711

Illinois

4/5  rDev +32%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into pint glass

Dark amber, with a hue of light brown at the end

Smell: malt

Taste: chocolate, toffee, and faint raisin

Mouthfeel: Smooth!!

Overall, this is brilliant beer! This is smooth and very much a dessert beer like Old Rasputin or Serpent's Stout

I cannot wait to try this brew on draught!

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 02:38:09 | More by BierStein711

Higravity

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev +31.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark and bring out a nice off-white head. Smells slightly of chocolate malt but mostly it is very muted lager smell. The taste is nice clean unskunked lager with a slight complementary roasty and nutty flavor. Nice med-light body along with a low abv gives this a six pack award for cheap, tasty, and slammable.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2006 17:37:04 | More by Higravity

therica

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +31.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm a big fan of Kostritzer's but I recently I had a Beck's Dark and was very surprised how much I liked it. I've gotten some more and am now enjoying it, probably more than Kostritzer's.

A= black, light head and lacing.

S= beautiful aroma of florals especially for a Dunkel.

T= although it's called a Dunkel it's almost identical to a Schwarz but better because of the beautiful hops nose, hops flavor and some nice dryness. There's some molasses in there but very well balanced by the bitters and dryness. Rather multi-dimensional for a Dunkel or a Schwarz.

M= dry, with some hops florals to savor.

D= very drinkable in session or single.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 02:48:45 | More by therica

Seanibus

California

3.93/5  rDev +29.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I don't care what anyone says, I like this beer.

Pours a deep brown, almost black with a small white head and mediocre lacing. The smell is strong and honeylike, with a clear bite of grain. The flavor is sweet and honeyish with a clear flavor of malt. There is a little hop bitterness in the back, but otherwise relatively little hop aroma or flavor. The mouthfeel is thin, with a sting of carbonation and a slight cling. The finish is nice - grainy and bitter. This is a remarkably drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2008 21:05:26 | More by Seanibus

Rennpferd

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +29.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

It poured nice and dark with clarity towards the edge of the stein. It had a nice three finger off white head that clung to the sides of the stein while it receded slowly.

It had a mellow hard to detect scent of malt and hops. Very weak.

It had a great smooth malt and hops flavor. The body was lite and refreshing. It left a subtle malt aftertaste that was pleasing.

It was very drinkable. I had not had a Beck's Dark for several years. I was not impressed during my last experience but I am beginning to think that I had a bad bottle back then. I would recommend trying this, or trying it again from a different source.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2009 01:15:38 | More by Rennpferd

ipogios

Cyprus

3.9/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a brown/amber colour. I only had the dark version of Beck's with food and i must admit that i really enjoyed it. Spend some money to buy a couple of sixes and you won't regret it...

Cheers

ipogios

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2002 15:02:43 | More by ipogios

beerbutcher

Maine

3.9/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours chestnut brown with off white head, one finger deep.

aromas of munich malt, toast, chocolate, and noble hops. lovely german lager stuff...

taste is just like a german dark lager. The roasty stuff is there and the beer's very dry but there's a little caramel/ malty sweetness there as well. great hop character, clean lager character.

mouthfeel is mostly dry with a slight sweet spot of malt on the midpalate, carbonation is assertive and hops are minor in impact. great balance.

overall, a very nice example of the style..

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2008 03:27:19 | More by beerbutcher

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.9/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beck's Dark has a medium, frothy, beige head and a clear, dark brown appearance, with moderate carbonation. A little bit of scattered lacing is left down the glass. The aroma is of roasted barley and water, but it is essentially very faint. Taste is of barley and coffee, but there is a subtle hop note on the back end. Mouth-feel is light and watery, and Beck's Dark finishes easy drinking and semi-dry. Overall, I really enjoyed this and highly recommend giving it a try.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 16:41:11 | More by RonaldTheriot

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Pours a Jewel brand cola color witha few ruby highlights. But a good film of foam hangs around for all twelve ounces of this beer. The aroma has a touch of stale coffee that then moves to a better defined roasted malt in lager form. But lets not forget the adjuncty smell there. But the taste has an almost, hot pot coffee taste from the local Denny's with the waitress who has the bum leg, to it. The dark malts are great, minus ther adjunt must to it. I can't really explain why, but this is one of my, "right after a hard day of work while you wait for dinner to cook beer." Easy on the palate and tastes good from the bottle and the glass.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2008 06:37:47 | More by scruffwhor

jasonpeckins32

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Fills the glass with a very dark color. Not quite pitch black, but maybe the darkest shade of brown I've ever seen. Not much head to speak of. The nose is of pure sweet carmel malts. Not too strong, but I only notice that one characteristic in the scent. Surprisingly, it tastes very similar to regular Beck's. It has the same mild skunkiness that I seem to find in almost every German beer. The aftertaste in this one is a bit sweeter and maltier, but other than that there's not a lot of differences in the taste department. The mouthfeel is a tad over medium-bodied. Very good feel and nice drinkability as well. Although I seemed to complain about this beer once or twice, it sure went down fast!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2005 12:49:33 | More by jasonpeckins32

CreamyStoutMan

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- a pretty typical pour for a dark lager. A deep black with a little bit of lacing. Small head.

Smell- Notes of coffee. Somewhat typical for a munich dunkel. The most noteworthy scents were of caramel and roasted nuts.

Taste- Hearty, like a dunkel should be. Roasted malts with a hint of caramel is the dominant. The subtle hops provide a nice little bite. This brew is perfect to down with a steak or a hamburger.

Mouthfeel- Nothing special. Kind of thin with (as aforementioned) a nice bite from the hops.

Drinkability- I could drink this all day and night. No shit

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2007 22:41:57 | More by CreamyStoutMan

SargeC

Japan

3.83/5  rDev +26.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep brown brew with an off-white head.

Smell: Touch of caramel with hints of toffee and a decent hop presence.

Taste: Solid malt flavor. Good overall character with hints of tobacco intermingled with the sweet malt flavor.

Mouthfeel: Satisfying medium bodied brew.

Drinkablity: A tasty and satisfying, widely available brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2008 22:08:49 | More by SargeC

Rudgers73

New York

3.8/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I like the taste of this beer.

I feel that it has a good balance of flavors and for a macro, it has a decent amount of character.

A- Pale brown, thin tan head that disapated quickly.

S- A little thin, but mostly roasted and malty.

T- A little bit of bitter bite at first but then it opens up a bit into a roasted blend of hops and malt.

M- Crisp, bubbly. Don't really like the bubbles because I drank it really cold. A little harsh on the tongue.

D- This beer is decently drinkable. It doesn't leave any bad taste in your mouth and if it was up to me I'd say this beer is recommended. Best Beck's I've had.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2006 16:07:09 | More by Rudgers73

Bookseeb

Washington

3.8/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is a dark brown with a frothy head that laces nicely. Aroma is light with roasted malts, coffee and caramel. Taste has a roasted malt, coffee and a light hop bite with a light - medium mouthfeel. I've bought this beer many times over the years, its Nothing special, but for the price it's just a good dark lager that I enjoy when wanting something different.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2007 03:56:57 | More by Bookseeb

americanaqualung

Texas

3.8/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours with a bubbley head that fizes away quickly. Looks like a cola with redish-brownish translucence.

S: Strong smell of carmalized malts with a sweet hop smell.

T: The taste is not too far from the smell but a bit more hoppy. It definately has the taste of a carmalized lagar with a hop bit on the finish/aftertaste.

M: Carbonation tickles the tounge without being too prickley. It leaves the mouth a dry but not too tackey feeling.

D: Its taste makes it very drinkable for a such a big brewery beer. The mouth feel would not make it as good but the taste helps hold it up. Definately not a beer for a hot day, but something more for a cool evening.

Other: I noticed that overall it had rather low ratings. I would definately like to dry more of this style and then return to it to see if my higher opinions change. While there are sure to be plenty of better beers out there, it is a fairly easy beer to find and thus would make a good fall back beer in an emergency.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 22:16:54 | More by americanaqualung

Docer

Washington

3.8/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An older buddy of mine at work mentioned this to me... and when I was younger, I would usually buy Becks occasionally because I liked the skunky flavor.

- Quite dar, and rootbeer-like in color... and actually had a fantastic light mocha colored head, and ring of lacing that stuck around a bit... impressed for a mass marketed brew...

- Lovely skunky hop smell... which I actually like. I don't mind the grassy, funky, earthy hops... because I am sure that is the way most all hops used to be before us humans started tweaking them.. Light sweetness, grains, and malt.

- Skunk, smooth grain, no porter-like chocolate, but yet a subtle sweet dark pilsner like brew that actually went down well, and made be take a double-take at the bottle. 24 oz. Becks that I actually liked!

- Not dry like a lot of pilsners... overall very sharp, delightful, and smooth!

- Fort a cheap (cost has NOTHING to do w/ my score) dark pilsner mass German brew... this one has got to be a favorite. If you want a buzz... avoid it, it's light... if you want a fine dark lager-pilsner... you have a winner! For the style, and taste... and beauty.. there you have it!

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2009 05:12:54 | More by Docer

everetends

Alabama

3.78/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was one of my gateway beers. I get this at the Grub Mart here in J'ville. 12oz pour into a pint.

A: Pours a nice dark brown with lots of ruby highlights. Has a frothy head that sticks around.

S: This is where this brew is lacking. Kinda weak with a malt smell and a faint smell of hops.

T: Malt shines here, tastes of caramel, earthy hops. Tasty. It has a nuttiness to it too.

M: Medium bodied with a medium carbonation. No real after taste. Clean and crisp.

D: Absolutely drinkable. This beer is even better on tap and is a fine German beer. Far better than regular Becks. Don't know why this beer has a bad rap, it is good for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2008 02:58:06 | More by everetends

nofalltoofar

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a glass

A: A dark beer just a shade lighter than stout. Likewise, it has a beautiful tan-colored head of two-fingers thickness. This beer is a looker.

S: Dark, rich, and definite caramel presence

T: The same with a healthy representation of bitterness to balance out the caramel

M: A little oily, but not too bad. Has a bit of thickness to it

I was pleasantly surprised by my feelings about this beer. I was told I was going to hate it. I have had quite a few since then. I enjoyed them straight from the bottle. Then an incredible thing happened when I was drinking them at my place where glasses were available (yes, people I was drinking with were Philistines). There was a huge explosion of caramel flavor and a hint of fruit base underneath the bitter front of the beer.

This beer is extremely tasty, even during the summer when most sensible people are drinking pale ale or lighter colored lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 01:01:39 | More by nofalltoofar

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.75/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle served in a pilsner glass.

Chestnut brown color with a short-lived white head that left a few spots of lacing.
Roasted malt aroma is pretty good.
Taste falls a bit short of what the aroma is, but it's a decent tasting beer. Much maltier than the original Beck's. Malty sweet finish.
Medium bodied with a good carbonation level/feel.
Goes down easy and is quite sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2009 23:58:07 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

rednrag

Oklahoma

3.75/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I once played in a band with a guy whose favorite band was the Rolling Stones and whose favorite beer was Beck's Dark. Well, he was killed in 1995 when a bomb went off in downtown OKC. Anyways,Steve, my brother, I'm listenin' to "Gimme Shelter" and drinkin a Becks Dark. This one's for you. Love ya.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 20:43:12 | More by rednrag