Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Gehrig

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

When I grabbed one of the lingering Harvest Collection 12-packs at the local grocer, this was the one I most looked forward to trying. While I love Sam's Octoberfest, I am usually quickly sold on any Dunkels, so I admit my proclivities ahead of time. Yet this does not disappoint, a fine representative of the style and one I wish Sam Adams would market in sixers.

Solid, durable off-white head rests atop a rich, cloudy caramel brown body. Good duration and lacing, and we're off to a fine start. Sweet nose, rife with banana and toffee, and the malt is amply represented. Good taste, on the sweet end which is fine. Banana carries the day, with toffee and dark chocolate in tow. Well done, but it could be a bit bolder.

Sam's Dunkel comes together in the mouthfeel, a typically strong suit for Sam Adams in my humble opinion. This is perhaps the best aspect of the beer, for here is where it nails the style with a nearly ideal blend of the pillowy wheat texture combined with the good malt flavor and tongue coating--terrific balance. Superb.

This is one beer Sam Adams ought to plug in six-packs. One of their best new beers in some time, I gladly boasted about it to a cashier the next time I grabbed a 12 at the store. Very good, and well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 17:08:01 | More by Gehrig

david131

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- A hazy redish orange liquid with numerous stream of carbonation making their way to the surface. The white head is thin and splotchy.

S- Apple juice, Bartlet pears, bread, bubble gum, and some brown sugar. Surprisingly complex and appealing.

T- Sweet fruit, bread, bubble gum, and brown sugar. Doesn't have a strong Sam Adamsy quality to it.

M- A nice smooth body with a creamy carbonated aspect. The flavors do have a lasting effect, but it is rather nice.

D- Drinks very nicely. Complex without being too rich. A very nice take on the style from the Boston Beer Co. I am pleasantly surprised to say the least.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 01:54:42 | More by david131

CaptJackHarkness

New York

4.15/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From twelve ounce bottle freshness dated to February 2013.

Pours a nice coppery brown with thick long lasting beige head. Spotty lacing of the glass.
Taste is eclectic hints of honey,clove, fruit cake perhaps. Not overbearing though. Not at all bitter, very crisp. I'll have another!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 23:01:23 | More by CaptJackHarkness

alexgash

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle.

Mildly cloudy, deep copper-orange body. Solid finger of tight-laced, khaki-cream head. Decent lacing. Familiar weizen aromas of banana, banana bread, clove, and a little bubblegum. Faint note of vegetal hops too.

Smooth, bready wheat malt up front. Toasted edges around banana, tropical fruit, and clove mid-palate. Banana bread richness (and some sweetness) near the finish. Very light noble hop notes with lingering clove, sweetbread, and yeast. Pretty taste all around. Medium to full body with nice, even carbonation to give it a creamy feel. Better than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 00:39:55 | More by alexgash

womencantsail

California

4.1/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer pours a hazy brown color with a finger of off-white head.

S: Strong banana aromas as well as toasted malts and bread. A nice bit of toffee as well as some subtle clove aromas. There is a bit of wheat character to it as well as some yeast.

T: Less banana than on the nose, but still enough to taste it. Quite a bit more reliant on the toasted malt and bread flavors. A nice bit of toffee and caramel with only a mild clove flavor. Maybe even a hint of vanilla.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O: A lot of the seasonal Sam Adams beers aren't very good, but this was quite the opposite.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2011 19:31:25 | More by womencantsail

jslice99

New York

4.1/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a weizen glass.

Appearance is a hazy dark brown/orange with a two finger white head.

Smell is of banana, nutmeg, and clove. Just like it should.

Smells more like banana than it tastes but its still there. I get more of the nutmeg and clove in the taste and maybe some caramel.

It has a decent mouthfeel with medium carbonation. Very easy to drink.

Overall, Its great on a hot day. Doesen't seem like a fall beer to me but no complaints. Would definately have again.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 06:49:20 | More by jslice99

hoplover82

Texas

4.08/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours a slightly hazy deep golden color with some amber highlights and has a thick creamy off white head that slowly dissapates to a thin colar on the beer and leaves very good lacing

S-The aroma is doughy, with some mild bannana and clove esthers. They are mild, which is why I like it, and they are balanced. I don't nessesary like a very clovy beer. But if the bannana and clove esthers are balanced, that is a very goog thing. As it warms, the bannana comes through more too, which is nice. But very bready yeasty. Mmmmm, also some faint notes of green apple too. Very nice

T-The flavor is just like the aroma, but with an added soft hop bitterness. Very yeasty and complex. Oh and the wheat in there is nice too.

M-At first it feels a little thin, but when my palate adjusted, I realized it was good and creamy. With a medium body and a full carbonation. It also has the slightest dryness in the finish.

D-IMO, it is very drinkable. I think one could session this beer preety easy. I highly recommend this dark wheat beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2009 05:06:13 | More by hoplover82

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.08/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I picked up the SA Autumn 12 oz' mixer Friday night at the COOP .... Sam and I and then Steven and I blew through all the bottles except for the lone dunkelweizen that I stashed away in the back of the fridge..

Poured into my small weizen glass.. Big 2" head.. the brew is lightly cloudy orange.. verging on red.

Nose is definitely leaning toward the estery bananas... some minor clove come in and some caramel is way on the back side as it warms..

Nose is much more phenolic.. bubblegum and defined cloves.. lesser caramel than I was expecting with a nice toasty malt element that I was not really expecting.. Very nice body and carbonation lends toward a fairly creamy mouthfeel...

I would buy this often if it was in 6'er's.. It really is the only reason I bought the Autumn pack... that said... I'll probably buy another or two while they're available... this a pretty damn good example on the style.. very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2009 05:19:49 | More by JohnGalt1

dacrza1

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Situation: Recovering from a three-hour family photoshoot at the mall...Glassware: Celebrator Doppelbock... Appearance: soft brown body that holds a healthy, thin, off-white head; little observable effervescence... Aroma: fresh malt softened by wheat; pleasantly subtle... Palate: soft, smooth, almost to the point of an oily consistency (in a good way); extremely drinkable... Taste: an almost bubble gum (!) like quality to the clove sensation that dominates; malts provide a pleasant underpinning... Overall: In a merging of styles, this is more weizen than dunkel--still, its finish, is sweet enoughto encourage a second bottle; within the fall sampler, this may be my selection to sixpack and savor...

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 03:05:47 | More by dacrza1

Slynger

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Slightly hazed orange brown with a nice creamy cap of dirty tan coloring.

Smells of banana's and caramel with apples.

Flavors of sweet caramel and toasted bready malts go along with a nice fruity balance of banana's and apples with a bit of nuttiness.

Medium bodied with a near perfect amount of refreshing and fuzzy-creamy carbonation.

Very good overall. I would make it a year round offering were I BBC, I liked it much better than their hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2009 23:40:56 | More by Slynger

beeragent

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a glass from a 12oz bottle.

A - Pours a medium and slightly hazy brown, forming a thin 1/2 inch head that quickly fades. Very small amounts of lace stick to the glass.

S - Very inviting mix of malted wheat and fruit swirls in the nose.

T - Strong malted wheat flavor up front along with a nice banana/fruit flavor throughout. There's alot going on flavor wise. Very complex.

M - Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Very smooth.

D - I was really suprised by this beer. Alot of Sam Adams are hit or miss, but this one is actually very good. Good flavor and sessionable ABV makes for a beer I wouldnt mind having several of.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2009 04:36:37 | More by beeragent

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-dark transparent amber with decent white head

S-smells almost like burnt wheat, its actually quite pleasant

T-very decent initial taste that matches the smell: burnt wheat. The after taste is exactly the same and is very flavorful. I'm not sure if I was expecting a lot from Sam Adams, but I'm very satisfied.

M-more than a medium amount of carbonation but smooth at the finish

D- over all mouth feel deteriorates, flavor stays though. the whole bottle is enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2010 04:16:32 | More by AdamBear

rsgcwhite

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is a unique beer - but take care how you pour it, tasting this requires patience. The first sip and last sip are different experiences entirely.

A: Half-inch frothy head quickly disappeared in glass. Deep amber color and solid (!) carbonation.

S: Clove! Immediately, I gather herbs and fruitiness, followed by a sort of hoppy freshness lingering a the cool background of brown bread.

T: Complicated and evolving. The overcarbonation early makes it crisp and dry, but masks an orangy sweetness that becomes stronger as the drink goes on.

However, I gave this to my fiancee, and she practically gagged. The finish is drier than expected, and the crispiness can be shocking. As the carbonation seeps out of the beer, it becomes smoother, sweeter, and exteremly drinkable.

By the time your glass is half-empty, carbonation has reached a 'sweet spot' and you'll find the flavor carnival much more palatable. At this point, you'll nod to the Sam Adams Brewmaster and say, "I see what you're trying to do here."

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2010 14:45:34 | More by rsgcwhite

neenerzig

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my weizen glass. Is a somewhat hazy, medium copper color. Not as hazy as most beers of this style. Lots of little bubbles rising up to the top of the glass. The head is about an inch thick when poured and settles to a nice 1/4 inch when poured with great staying power. Good lacing. Sweet aromas of banana and clove and some malt. No discernible hop aroma. The flavor is pretty much the the same, sweet clove and banana along with a nice malt backbone. The clove is not super strong here like it is in some weizen beers. The flavor is rounded out with a hint of plum on the back end. This beer has a medium bodied, somewhat crisp, mainly smooth and frothy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Easy to drink. A good solid beer here, but not the best I have had from these guys.

Eric

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2009 03:19:55 | More by neenerzig

jacobseyb

Alabama

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A=pours a deep dark orange with one finger of off white head

S=yeasty, cakey, with a banana and maybe raisin aroma

T=malts and banana flavors with a yeasty finish

M=nice crisp mouth feel, almost dry, carbonation is rather strong

D=good and enjoyable, nearly sessionable

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2009 03:37:58 | More by jacobseyb

Mitchster

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased as part of the seasonal 12 pack this year. 12oz bottle. I had this years and years ago, probably 15 years ago and remember enjoying it but never being able to find it. The website has all the other "brewmaster collection" brews, but not this one. Hrmmm. Pours out to a cloudy dark amber, forming a tall off-yellow whipped head with excellent retention and awesome lacing. Carbonation is moderate-brisk. The aroma is very nice...lots of old brown bananas, cloves, a nice toasted malt base, phenols, some spicy hops...The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice tang. The taste is as a good dunkel weizen should be...cloves and bananas with dark malts popping through but it doesn't quite get to the "fresh banana bread" ideal...in this case, there is some burnt rubber in there as well..something that either my taste buds have gotten more sensitive to over the last 3 years or some mutation that has been going on with a prominent manufactured yeast strain. At any rate, it's nice to see it back, but honestly, with Michelob Dunkel Weizen being available for $6.99/6'er (and the fact that it is one of my very favorite dunkel weizens ever), I'll stick with that when I need a DW kick.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2009 23:58:43 | More by Mitchster

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Medium brown body that's got a nice haze to it. The head is frothy and very light tan with its one inch stature. This is a good looking brew.

S - Molasses, syrup, malt, hops, and a background of alcohol.

T - Smooth wheat flavor accented by a slightly brown sugar sweetness. There's a maltiness to this beer that really makes it appealing.

M - Smooth as it goes down real easy.

~ This is a good brew. It has a certain sessionability to it. I recommend you try this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2009 02:53:15 | More by cdkrenz

BierFan

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a weizen glass.

Appearance: Two fingers of off-white head. Hazy light brown body.

Smell: Traditional German wheat beer aroma of banana and clove.

Taste: Once again, it's very close to it's German counterparts. Doesn't seem to have the same depth of flavor and complexity of the best examples of this style.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2010 23:50:53 | More by BierFan

AustinBeerLvr

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a 12 ounce bottle from the fall sample pack into a Samuel Adams pint glass. Not a bad looking brew, but kind of odd, oragnish looking for the style, with little head.

This is actually a very good, traditional offering from Sam Adams, as the characteristics of it possess all of the traits of an authentic, Bavarian Dunkelweizen, at least the imports I have tried here in the U.S. Notes of caramel, molasses, nuttiness, roastiness, toast all blend very nicely with the ester flavors, which range from ripe bananna to mangos. Finish is a nice snap of crisp malt and slight bite from the hops. Great mouthfeel, as it maintains a very smooth flavor up front, but the wheat malt contributes to nice tingle of crispness at the end that leaves you wanting another sip.

All in all, a great cool/cold weather beer from the BBC. This would actually be a great one to offer all throughout the fall and winter months.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 00:55:52 | More by AustinBeerLvr

busternuggz

Arizona

4.01/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Light brown, very clear with a creamy, foamy 1/4" tan head. Leaves thick lacing.

The scent is primarily sweet dried banana chips with some bubble gum and wheaty malt. Just a little clove.

Bready malt and a hint of chocolate up front on the taste with nice grainy wheat and sweet ripe bananas. Ends with a nice banana pudding note, like homemade banana pudding with vanilla wafers. Moderately sweet but balanced. Nice.

Medium bodied and smooth, comes on lush and malty and ends a little drier. Compliments the flavors well.

I am a dunkelweizen fan, and you might call this one a little non-traditional but it's nice. Well balanced with interesting taste notes. It has character. A solid Sam offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 03:00:49 | More by busternuggz

tzieser

Arizona

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Now available in the Harvest Collection 12 pack.

I was really excited for this one and I'm glad to say it was worth the wait.

Pours a lighter color than I expected, pours like a hefeweizen (hazy) with a shades of brown.

Smelled similar to a hefeweizen (probably that classic german yeast and malted wheat)....slight citrus notes. very nice

Tasted excellent. Lots of malt on this one. The malted wheat and german yeast makes this one taste similar to a hefeweizen, but with much more body thanks to the dark wheat. Really tastey. They should replace their Hefeweizen with this guy.

Drinkaility was awesome. I sure wish there were more than 2

Overall, definitely worth picking up a 12 pack for (in my opinion anyway). If you like hefeweizens and dunkels like I do, be sure to grab this

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2009 17:06:09 | More by tzieser

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bought as part of the new SA mixed 12 pack (good batch of beers I must say!). Pours a cloudy/murky brown color.. nice head to it that stays with the beer the whole time, nice lacing too. Sort of a toffee/nutty aroma to it. Taste is medium bodied, get a hint of the clove/banana hefe taste along with a nice malty taste. Nice smooth finish, pretty drinkable. Not overly tasteful but for the style I guess it fits the description pretty good. Maybe not something I would seek out but a nice change of pace in the mixed 12 pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2009 03:55:42 | More by marlinsfan4

ruckus232

Illinois

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 Ounce brown bottle poured into a Weizen glass

Appearance: Darker brown and cloudy with a slightly off white head

Smell: Nice spiciness in the smell with a slight banana in the background

Taste: It has a strong spiciness with a hint of the banana bread flavor that only stays for a little bit. There is very little taste after the initial taste which is disappointing but overall this is good.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 01:12:02 | More by ruckus232

ommegoose

Illinois

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Has an okay color, but is not cloudy enough. I was hoping for something close to opaque, but it is just mildly cloudy. Head formation and retention were not strong.

Has a nice blend of banana and cocoa powder over wheat. Really would be nice if it were more potent.

Having heard that the SA hefe was rather poor, I was unsure how this would be, but I'm impressed. Pretty good hefe characteristics, with that extra layer of dark malty flavors, namely cocoa powder. Has that nice chalky chocolate. Some bready flavors, but spiciness is subdued. Just a bit of clove. A twangy wheat note on there that maybe I would have liked smoothed out.

Pretty smooth. Could use more yeast. In fact, it's hard to tell if this was even bottle conditioned. I shook it out and assumed it was. Still, rich and creamy. Carbonation is just right.

Tastes good and feels smooth, and does not seem to be over 5.5% abv or so. Very easy to drink. I'd buy a sixer of this over a lot of SA's beers, and it's easily the best thing in the harvest pack (even if the mediocre appearance is going to knock the score down a bit). It's hard to get a fresh dunkel, often. This isn't the truest one in the world, but it's a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2009 05:20:19 | More by ommegoose

imanidiot777

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Dark copper color, fairly clear, decent sized head that dissipates a little too quick.

S: Horrible with the smells but fruity smells as well as wheat maybe.

T: Tasted like a little brown sugar and some dark fruits that I could not pick out, maybe a slightly ginger aftertaste as well but not sure.

M & D: Not the smoothest beer in the world but still very drinkable and a pretty good carbonation level that adds a nice kick.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2009 04:06:05 | More by imanidiot777