Beck's Dark - Brauerei Beck & Co.

Viperman

1/5  rDev -67%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

The Death of Beck's Dark

I am re-posting this comment because I see that Beer Advocate moved it from Beck's Dark to regular Beck's beer.

It took me a little to realize what had happened; the taste changed like I had gotten a funny batch. Also I started to get a headache, digestive problems and I thought what the hell is going on? After examining the label and realizing it had changed I looked up on my iPhone and to my horror I found that this was now an Anheuser product; brewed in St Louis...

Well that it explained my negative physical reaction. I was stunned. Anheuser Busch products make me physically ill and taste poor.
I was angry that Inbev had botched this and will effectively kill this beer. I will never purchase Beck's Dark again or any "Beck's" product.

So long Beck's...a moment of silence in remembrance please.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 16:52:08 | More by Viperman

Uniobrew31

Pennsylvania

1.18/5  rDev -61.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

What the hell happened??? This used to be my favorite/ go to beer. I bought it by the case all the time. Never again! This now I guess was bought out by AB and is now brewed in St. Louis. Something is very wrong. It tasted funky, watered down and undrinkable. Thanks AB for ruining another brand. Next time you buy a brewery just leave it alone!!! I will never forgive you for Rolling Rock or Becks Your beer is bad enough. Stop buying good breweries and ruining them!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 00:13:59 | More by Uniobrew31

adams82

Michigan

1.23/5  rDev -59.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1

Pours a deep red, filtered clear, no head.

I'm trying to pick out a smell on this one... sweet skunk comes to mind.

It really doesn't taste like much. Imagine drinking roasted water... At least it doesn't taste as it smells.

Mountfeel is OK, although a little watery and thin though. This has absolutely no character at all and absolutely zero attributes that can save it.

What an awful beer. Note that I did check the "Best By:" date and it was 5-2008, this was not an old bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2008 00:35:32 | More by adams82

ZenAgnostic

Texas

1.35/5  rDev -55.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Bottom of back label stamped Best before 05.2012.

Appearance - Pours two finger tan head with decent retention and good stick. Clear very dark brown body.

Smell - Corn and a wet lawn.

Taste - Stale corn and lots of metal. Strong bitter finish.

Mouthfeel - Watery. Almost no effervescence. Astringent and slightly acidic.

Overall Drinkability - This beer is overwhelmingly metallic, bitter, astringent and acidic. I consider all these to be off characters, and this is particularly bad when the beer is otherwise dull, mild or flavorless. All bad characters, not much in the way of good ones past the appearance. This would definitely be a drain pour if it wasn't for the fact that I'd at least like getting a buzz in return for tasting this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 23:37:12 | More by ZenAgnostic

jdhilt

New Hampshire

1.45/5  rDev -52.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours with a one-finger off-white head that leaves no lace. Deep, clear amber color. Light bodied and very light carbonation. Skunky nose. Starts with a tinny, metallic, skunky taste (what is it with the green bottles??) and has a watery finish. $1.55 for a 12oz. bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2004 22:41:47 | More by jdhilt

searsclone

Arizona

1.68/5  rDev -44.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1

I had this poured from a 24oz bottle into a pint glass.

I was in a bar while I tried this, so I don't have much of a review concerning the appearance since it was not very well lit.

The beer smelled like a skunk. I didn't pick up any other smells.

The first half of the bottle tasted to me like what I imagine a well used ash tray would taste like. I don't mean it had a smokey flavor, more rancid and dirty tasting. The second half of the bottle to me had very little taste.

I found this beer to be undrinkable, I did not finish this one.

To be fair, it may have been an out of date bottle, I did not check.

Personally, I will avoid this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2008 15:31:32 | More by searsclone

SometimesIfart

Michigan

1.69/5  rDev -44.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

A - Pours dark copper with a decent sized white head. Left slight lacing.

S - Creamed corn, skunk, rice adjunct.

t - Creamed corn up front with a heavy rice, skunk, and bitter finish.

M - Medium bodied with heavy carbonation.

O - Overall, I'm not here to bash on InBev, I'm here to rate this beer for what it is and it isn't any good.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 21:33:19 | More by SometimesIfart

changeup45

Florida

1.7/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Nothing that I will look for again. First thing I noticed was the skunked aroma, not a great way to start the beer. Dark colored with a thin head and a little bit of lace. Fairly rich flavor but had a tiny, metallic finish. So basically, the aroma is pretty bad, and the finish tastes like metal. Since this smells like a skunk and is the color of one I think I'll stay away.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2008 21:17:48 | More by changeup45

wesclaypool

California

1.95/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

A favorite of my mom's, so a mother's day review is in order.

a - Stays true to its title, very dark with dark amber/brown color where the light comes through. Pretty decent head upon initial pour, but faded quickly.

s - Not much going on in terms of smell. Standard, crisp lager-type smell.

t - Bitter at first with no real aftertaste. Can't really discern any special flavors that pop out.

m - Thin, crisp carbonation.

d - Not bad if its all you have, certainly drinkable. Wouldn't go out of my way for it though.

Not my favorite, sorry mom. Happy Mother's Day anyway!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 22:25:33 | More by wesclaypool

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

1.98/5  rDev -34.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12 ounce bottle - $1.29 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a clear, very dark reddish-brown body with a moderately-sized, off-white head.

Smell: Initial waft of skunkiness, which is expected in green bottled lagers, but just seems a bit more off-putting for a darker beer. Given a few minutes to gather its thoughts, the skunk has blown off, but now there's another problem -- some repellent metal notes. Trying to sniff around all these problems yields helpless notes of sweet, bready malts and fruit.

Taste: A light taste of dark malts with some grainy tones and a light sweetness. Strong, unyielding metal tones arrive early on -- fairly displeasing. Touch of fruit. More filthy nickels and dimes. Touch of hops and bitterness. Sweetish t-- forget it. This one's a drain pour.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Not recommended at all. Particularly loathsome metallic taste, like tonguing the return coin slot on an old, used vending machine. It's like a cow's eyeball in my soup, I just can't appreciate any other qualities when I this glaring fault staring back at me. Ugh.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2009 02:21:38 | More by ChainGangGuy

flaminghomer

Indiana

2.05/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

why do they even make dark euro lagers? this crap is nasty, and so is hieneken dark. it has got me thinking, what would budweiser dark taste like? appearance is crap, but it's better looking than regular beck's. everything else about it is crap is well. if you are just getting started on your journey for beer enlightenment i can see how you might like this. if you've already tried plenty of great beers, don't waste your money.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2004 08:01:34 | More by flaminghomer

Lupe

New York

2.08/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Deep brown liquid lies beneath a huge, frothy and chunky cream colored head. Head sticks around for a while and leaves sporadic lace.

Bready aroma with a mild rye spiciness. Light spicy hops, and an otherwise fairly clean aroma.

First taste brings a nice crispness with toasted grain. Then things get messy - sweet malt, loads and loads of more husky grain, and toasted malt all add to the astringent flavor. Hops barely present, but here is a heavy metallic and skunked character. Not very good.

Light in body, thin, and overly carbonated. I wouldn't have another.

Started promising with a beautiful appearance and decent aroma, but this ends up just being a dark Beck's - someone check for caramel coloring.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 14:53:52 | More by Lupe

cooter

New York

2.1/5  rDev -30.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Pours like a root beer; black with soda-like head (large "sudsy" bubbles, unevenly sized, rapid carbonation, head dissipates). Very peppy in the mouthfeel and carbonation. Smells skunked and malty. Taste doesn't mesh well with smell; hoppy and bitter in a bad way. Consistency seems off, like a syrup--similar to some mediocre Czech dark lagers I've had. Maybe it's the style...

Taste is flat and without depth. The drinkability is good, except it sits in the stomach and leaves a thin residue on the mouth that doesn't entice another drink...I don't want to sip again, also, because it tastes like seltzer after half a bottle. Blech. Best aspect of the beer has to be...erm...mouthfeel, which. Zesty. Otherwise poor.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2004 03:44:30 | More by cooter

ElGrecoVerde

Michigan

2.13/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

At least it looked nice. Dark brown with a nice tan head. The smell was decent, sweet caramel and coffee aromas, but pretty mild. There was bit of that bitter aroma that lurks in the back of your nostrils as well.

Taste started out okay, with the same sweet caramel and coffee notes. Then you get hit in the mouth with a sock full of pennies. Literally, it tastes like pennies. The metallic flavors give way to an even worse spray from a dead skunk. Not good, not decent, but bad. Maybe I got a bad bottle, or maybe this beer stinks.

Moving on, it felt okay, or as good as liquid road kill can feel. But I won't be having this one again.

For someone who likes dark beers, this was a big disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2008 17:51:41 | More by ElGrecoVerde

CowsCanBark

Pennsylvania

2.13/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into Samuel Adams pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a very dark but clear brown with a one-finger off-white head that quickly dissipates. Spotty lacing is left on the glass.

Smell: Skunked to hell. An extremely light malt smell behind the skunk.

Taste: Not as skunky as the smell, but there also isn't anything else going on here. Light skunk, light metal, extremely light malts, water.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and high carbonation, easy as hell to down.

Overall: Good for occasional drinkers who enjoy AALs, because it really reminds me more of an AAL than a dark beer. Not what I was expecting, and not very flavorful at all.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 04:30:35 | More by CowsCanBark

Overlord

California

2.17/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Does Beck's make a good beer? I've gots to know.

Pours an attractive dark brown with some carnelian highlights. Taste has some malt, maybe a bit of toastiness. I detect bitterness, could be hops, but there's no grapefruit or pine flavoring to it.

Mouthfeel is thin, carbonation went all crazy then vanished ... stay away.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2008 09:12:58 | More by Overlord

JayS2629

Alabama

2.17/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A- Dark copper tones with medium fluffy head and nice lace.

S- Sweet malts, caramels, fruity tones, and a good dose of skunk.

T- Skunk over-rides it all, but there are undertones of toffee and caramel, toasted malts.

M- Medium bodied, slightly creamy, but overall watery

D- Watery, boring beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 05:16:11 | More by JayS2629

Fatehunter

Oregon

2.17/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured into a wide flute glass. Nice dark amber color, transparent with two fingers of head that fell to a quarter finger in a minute.
Well, it smells like a regular Beck's. Metallic with a hint of malt.
Tastes like nothing... then a metal flavor followed by the characteristic bitter of a Berlin Lager. A big miss on style.
Light bodied, moderate carbonation.
No malt in the body or taste, no real flavor and not even close to a Dunkel. It is just a darker colored Beck's. Stay away.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 18:18:11 | More by Fatehunter

walleye

Michigan

2.2/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

from the bottle . I bought this bottle because it has ben a long time since I have had a becks .poured brown with off white head. aroma, malts , barley, malts. flavor, malts, caramel, corn, I use to like this beer in my younger days when I thought that drinking a becks was cool.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2005 01:50:26 | More by walleye

tbeck

Washington

2.2/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Poured a dark brown, cola like with a thin white head that stayed around. Aroma was definetly skunky as was as the taste. Quite a bit of metallic in the taste also. The texture was thin and light. Overall I was disappointed I thought I would be getting a little more. It seemed that it was a lager with food coloring added. Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2008 03:54:20 | More by tbeck

granger10

Wisconsin

2.23/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

This certainly looks like a dark beer with a nice head and some good carbonation to match. But that's where the comparisons end. Scent is alright. Kind of malty but not real strong. The taste is surprising in the fact that it tastes SO light and weak. Watery to say the least. Flavors are hiding and can't come out. I notice an astringent grainy flavor. The rest are too scarce to notice. Finishes forgetably. I don't know who would drink this. It's not for the calorie conscience nor is it for the true beer lover.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2003 19:24:24 | More by granger10

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.23/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Served in a Walter Payton shaker pint glass.

The normal Beck's has been on sale so long by me that I got this darker cousin in my head. Dammit. Anyway, it pours a dark, clear garnet-russet topped by a short-lived finger of dusty off-tan foam. The nose comprises corn, light musty wheat, and the faintest possible touch of toasted caramel. Something tells me I'm lucky everything's faint, as it might just be offensive if more perceptible. The taste holds notes of mild char, light toasted caramel, hard water, vinyl, grass, and rice. The body is a hefty light, with a moderate carbonation, a watery feel, and a sorta drying finish. Overall, a pretty sad beer, frankly. I compare it to one of those sticky regulars on the pole during Amateur Night at the stripclub: I don't necessarily mind looking at it, but anything involving my nose or tongue just ain't for me...

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 03:57:44 | More by TMoney2591

dnichols

Washington

2.25/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I poured a capped 12 ounce (335 ml) bottle into a large Spaten mug.

A: It poured a dark brown body that when back lit was a washed out cherry red. The head was about one finger tall and tanish. The head retained well and supported a decent lacing.

S: There was a dominant smell of toasted malts as well as a recessive aroma of brown sugar. There was also a pungent musty aroma...Looks like I hooked up with a skunky macro.

T: The sweet malts were overtaken my the musty flavor that made the experience one I will regret for a long time.

M: It is light bodied with a malty after taste.

D: I need to sample this one again...hopefully one that is not skunky. If this is the norm...ouch!!

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2008 02:58:22 | More by dnichols

mikeg67

New Jersey

2.3/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Bottle. Pours dark brown with a fluffy, off- white head, a lot of lacing. Regular grassy aroma of European macro with some hints of toasted malt. Light-medium body. Taste is of burnt malt and some unpleasant bitterness (I'm curious what are they using instead of hops). Long, bitter finish. At least I did not buy it.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 00:29:45 | More by mikeg67

Brent

Kentucky

2.35/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not nearly as dark in flavor as in color. Mildly caramel, without much depth. Mass-produced character, but drinkable, particularly if fresh.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2001 14:38:51 | More by Brent