Warsteiner Premium Dunkel - Warsteiner Brauerei

tdm168

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - dark brown, almost opaque, reddish hue; thick quarter of an inch of fizzy brownish, off white head that quickly fades to a thin lacing

S - toffee, caramel, sweet

T - toffee, caramel, faint roastiness, faint coffee, sweet, mildly bitter

M - light to medium bodied, crisp

This is a pretty flavorful beer. It's refreshing and quaffable. I think a little more body and a little carbonation would help this out, but otherwise it's an overall decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 20:03:35 | More by tdm168

MortarPestle

Indiana

3.05/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a chocolate amber with a thin head that doesn't provide any appreciable lacing.
Aroma: Faint smell of wet hay, malt and dried fruit.
Taste: Mild taste with notes of toasted malt and mild citrus hops notes.
Texture: Crisp and dry with decent carbonation.
Drinkabilty: Too mild with little character. I would like to see more coffee and hops.
Presentation: Poured from a 12oz bottle in to a Pilsener glass.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 19:15:22 | More by MortarPestle

DerekP

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Notes from 5/27/12

Bought this on accident (see notes after review):

Near black appearance with mahogany shades toward the bottom of the chalice. A milky, off-white head slims down, but an attractive rim remains and clings gently to the glass. 4

Coffee, timber smoked and grape juice in the nose. A touch of milk chocolate, and a slightly floral aroma. 3.5

Dark, wet malts up front with a grape-like yeast flavor sitting in the middle. A dry lingering in the back end, reminiscent of a red wine with a woody character. Notwithstanding everything I just mentioned, the taste comes off as one dimensional. 3

Hops cut into the wet malts character. The wet body, however, is broad and pronounced. Carbonation might be matching the hops. Feels a little like soda. 3

Overall: 3

Notes: went into my favorite bottle shop for Warsteiner Premium Verum (German pilsner), found it, and checked a bottle for a freshness date. Turned out the brew should have been drank by Sept 2011 (apparently nobody drinks the stuff around here). Then I saw another row of the brew right next to the bottle I picked up, and checked the dates; Warsteiner Premium Verum good til August 2012...or so I thought. Got home, poured a bottle into my chalice glass, and was very surprised by the dark color. The moral of the story is: double check labels, and don't "pull a mom" (late 90s-early 2000s reference to loving mothers and their attempts to buy regular potato chips and other junk food, but due to the constantly rushed nature of the housewife lifestyle, bring home "reduced fat" or "low sodium" bastardizations of name brands).

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 01:21:33 | More by DerekP

secondtooth

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark ruby with a large head of off-white carbonation. Wispy but attractive lace.

Nose is caramel, yeast, and grain.

Tastes sweet and malty, with a hint of roastiness and an almost burnt finish. I also get a little flash of fruit in the malts. Overall, not bad, but lacking complexity.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 12:01:39 | More by secondtooth

SteveMi

North Carolina

3.13/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Second dunkel I've tried.

A - Pours dark with a white head which dissipates quickly. Looked to be very under carbonated.

S - Malts and yeast. The smell is not very strong.

T - Malty and and breadish. The finish reminds me of unsalted pretzels. After a few seconds I noticed a bit of sweetness as well. Over all very light in taste.

M - Smoother than I expected it to be and carbonation was just right. Easy to drink.

O - Not bad, though a bit lighter than I'd hoped.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 02:54:34 | More by SteveMi

depechemode1983

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Dark brown in color with red hues. Head is a dense tan foam with moderate retention. Lacing is moderate as well. Its there but just very thin.

S - The nose is mostly of toasted bread and grains. Also noticeable is maple syrup, raisins, sugar and a light hop bitterness to give it a bit of balance.

T - The taste is also mostly toasted grains and bread. This time around I pick up light coffee. Its a little sweet but not nearly as much as the nose. Maple syrup and brown sugar are most apparent.

M - Medium bodied and pretty smooth. Carbonation seems ok.

O - Just an ok beer. Nothing wows me. Way better dunkels out there for the price. Worth a try none the less.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 01:59:46 | More by depechemode1983

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The color is something between brown and ruby more on the ruby side. Clear. Nice white/beige head on top of it. Sticky and tenacious. Nice looking beer in a glass.

Aroma is typical of lager with some roasted malts. Cereals. Simple aroma and straightforward. For a lager, the aroma is intense. Not use to this strong aroma. Taste is dominated by roasted malts. The bitterness is timid. Very refreshing as a lager should be! Nice taste. I was not expecting this good... its better than what I anticipated. A nice beer for day-to-day drinking.

A good, but very simple, beer.

Serving type: can

02-19-2012 12:51:05 | More by ZorPrime

dorianmarley

Ohio

4/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is dark, translucent copper with pancake head and nice lacing.

Nose is fresh grain, baked pretzels, and hops.

Taste is hardy grain, oats, light caramel malt, honey, and a mild hop finish.

Mouthfeel is thick & chewy with medium carbonation and great drinkability.

Overall, it is a solid German.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2012 23:41:45 | More by dorianmarley

rfbenavi80

Missouri

2.75/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Served on tap at Rheinland Restaurant in Independence Missouri.
Served in Warsteiner Mug.

A- Pours a light Chestnut color, with very froth bubbly head that lingers leaving little to no lacing.

S- Malty, Yeasty.

T- Not much there. I guess you could say its "dark beer" thats about it.

M- not thick at all, very thin. Med-High carbonation.

O- So, so. it feels like a mass produced dark beer. Like the "Bud Light of dark beers"

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2012 21:46:30 | More by rfbenavi80

intensify

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark brown colour with a good head. Smells of dark fruits, honey, and caramel. Taste is of caramel with a honey finish. The finish is clean and warm with medium carbonation. Okay mouthfeel but is almoat soda like. I will have at least one of these in my fridge for a nice winter night.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 07:43:14 | More by intensify

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a schwarzbier through and through. pours a foamy dark brown thin color with a nice white head an inch or two high. smells malty and a bit roasty with some notes of caramel and black licorice, but only gently. mouthfeel is average too, a bit of carbonation and some nice complexity in the finish. i wasnt wowed here. a sessionable darker munchen style brew, malty and boring in many ways. eh

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2012 06:48:31 | More by StonedTrippin

neilgavigan

California

2.98/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A Clear dark red brown with light tan head which dissappeared quickly.

S. burnt bread and fruity yeast with some sight sour and floral

T. Nice even maltiness with fruit , some sweet nuttiness and quite bitter for the style. Sour and bitter finish. Overall it's complex and gets sweeter and more mellow as the tempuratue goes up.

M. Medium light body with low carb

O. Decent dark lager with clear European roots with the yeast and malt choices. Dark, complex and fun yet not filling. Average dunkel.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 03:49:32 | More by neilgavigan

Sachsenfreude

Germany

3.65/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance; off white head with great retention and well enough lacing left behind. The body is a clear brown in color.

smell; some sour malts, not as much of a roasted profile as one would expect. Seems as if this one is a little off as I've had it on many occasions and know it to be better. Hops are nicely presented and smell grassy and herbal, with the mildest hint of old lemon.

taste; mostly roasted malts, a bit of sourness connects and blends herbal hops with the malts. Some warm dark malts in the finish but also a butterscotch note that is not characteristic of this beer in it's prime.

mouthfeel; overall quite light but with the slightest bit of powdery chewyness. Smooth and refreshing with a wet finish.

overall; not a bad session beer, and tasty enough but don't expect an Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel quality. Appropriately priced for it's quality and good to grab in a pinch when more expensive selections are out of the question.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 17:38:58 | More by Sachsenfreude

UCLABrewN84

California

3.4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best before 5/25/12.

Pours a clear brown with a 1 inch puffy tan head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Thin rings of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, caramel, and some metallic and fruity aromas. Taste is of toasted malt, caramel, and some slight nutty flavors. A mild roasty bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a crisp carbonation with a bubbly mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that I got in a sampler pack but not something I would seek out on my own.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 22:04:45 | More by UCLABrewN84

jsisko01

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a very dark, almost black color with an inch thick light brown head that dissipates instantly.

Smell - Brown sugar, somewhat grassy, caramel, and lightly toasted.

Taste - Similar to the smell.. Brown sugar, small hints of toffee, barley, and a strong caramel finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with Medium carbonation.

Overall - Sweet and creamy. That's how I'd describe this beer

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 03:56:40 | More by jsisko01

woemad

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz bottle purchased at Huckleerry's in Spokane for $1.59. Best by January 7, 2012, according to he rear label.

Poured a dark brown with red highlights when held up to light. Inch or so of beige foam, spotty lace.

Brown sugar and toffee in the nose. No hop aroma to speak of.

Like in the nose, this is a malty tasting beer. Seems like a lager version of a brown ale, with a sweet, brown sugar & mollasses flavor, followed by an undramatic, clean finish.

Fairly lightbodied, with a slightly coating mouthfeel.

This is a relatively bland dark lager, one that could be used as a session beer. While it's not bad, it makes no demands on the palate and does nothing earth shattering. If it's there and it's cheap, go for it, but there's no need to seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 20:00:12 | More by woemad

Durge

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A dark brown color with golden highlights it presents a creamy light tan head and layers of lacing. The first smell delivers a solid wheat and malt aroma but not very strong. The flavor is of deep grassy malt and cider toffee.
It’s medium bodied with fair carbonation and a slight chalky feel, but fairly refreshing. A solid offering for the style though not my favorite choice in styles.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 05:51:45 | More by Durge

DavidST

Texas

3.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 330 ml bottle into a pint glass, best by Jan 12. This pours a brown color with a foamy off white head. The smells are mostly of malts, toffee. The feel is medium. The taste is much of the same, higher malt content nice toffee flavor low hops

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 05:24:01 | More by DavidST

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a flared pokal at Bliss.

Nice: plenty o' new stuff for me at this Bliss tasting. This one pours a clear cola topped by a finger of dirty light-tan foam. The nose comprises light caramel and very light toasted white bread. That's about it, frankly. The taste brings in more of the same, with equal intensity (or lack thereof, really), with the added benefit of some light hard water. The body is pretty light, with a light moderate carbonation and a watery feel. Overall, a pretty standard dark Euro lager (regardless of city of origin/style), nothing offensive, nothing to really smile about. Definition of a slightly positive meh.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 21:49:23 | More by TMoney2591

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.68/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

App- Dark brown body with ruby highlights, there is a slight white film for the head.

Smell- A slight caramel / crystal malt sweetness is present, and really not much else.

Taste- Roasted malt notes come out at the beginning of the drink, and then there are some coffee beans and more sweetness, maybe from the yeast? This really reminds me of a take on a porter. It is a good flavor.

Mouth feel- The mouth feel is medium, but there is a little bit of fizzy lift from the carbonation. For having the roasted malt character that it does, it does a nice job of staying a pretty smooth drink.

Overall- It is a pretty good beer, I’m not sure I would ever seek it out again, but if sweeter porters or stouts are the drink of choice, you could do worse than this.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2011 12:19:02 | More by Pintofbrown

BeerDocT

Georgia

3.35/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a wide-mouthed glass.

-Appearance 3.5: Very small, CO2-powered head upon pouring. I'd consider that "standard." However, the color of this beer is beautiful, a deep mahogany. Certainly above average.

-Smell 3.0: I do smell the toasted grains, but only slightly. There is really very little aroma to this beer. Not bad, just average.

-Taste 3.5: Dry, barley notes up front, followed by a neutral middle. Swallowing reveals a slight hoppiness and a very, very subdued caramel. Nice, toasted barley aftertaste.

-Mouthfeel 3.0: Average mouthfeel. Almost too much carbonation and a slightly dry character. "Average" is the best descriptor.

-Overall 3.5: Above average beer. This dunkel is light in alcohol (4.9% ABV) and is also light and dry in taste. Would make a good session beer or an excellent partner to food. There is nothing remarkably good or remarkably bad about this beer and in today's beer world, that's not really a bad thing.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 03:32:21 | More by BeerDocT

Jwren5

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in a bottle, poured in a pint glass.

A: Nutty brown color, similar to that of rootbeer. 2 finger head that quickly disapated, leaving some slight lacing around the outside.

S: Malts, yeast, and a hint of grass.

T: Malty, subtle caramel, and grass (like wheat or barley). In all honesty, this reminded me of the children's cereals Sugar Smacks or Golden Crisp, but without the sweetness. The aftertaste to me was nutty, like a sunflower seed kernel.

M: Medium carbonation, with a viscosity in between light and medium.

O: The fact that it reminds me of cereal from my childhood makes it quite enjoyable! This is a tasty beer for any day.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 13:58:21 | More by Jwren5

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.8/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a plastic cup from the German beer garden at GretnaFest.

Appearance: very dark brown; almost no head that quickly disappears. Great lacing.

Smell: Solid malts up front with a little coffee on the side.

Taste: German malts with a dark chocolate finish. Perhaps a hint of anise. Rich and hearty.

Mouthfeel: medium, really coats the tongue.

Overall: one of my favorite dunkels. Robust and very sessionable. Prosit!

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2011 20:26:14 | More by brewskifan55

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.68/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Russet brown with poor head retention has it looking like cola after mere seconds in the glass. Things improve from there, however, with a firm doughiness with an edge of burnt toast. Some grape skin and hop leaf add depth with some caramel sweetness on the finish. Solid Dunkel, and since it's a $3 special at the pub this month I may have one more.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2011 22:48:18 | More by bump8628

BareFeetPete

California

3.13/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured an 11.2 oz bottle into a pint glass. Looked like coke, very deep caramel color with a head that didn't stick around long. Smelled a bit metallic for the first half of the glass, but overall I don't think it made a huge impact on the taste of the beer. The taste wasn't all that impressive, wasn't bad though. Aftertaste was a light caramel flavor with a bit of chocolate. The mouth feel and taste were alright to begin with but by the end it was almost like I was drinking malt liquor. Not to say that I would bash malt liquor, I mean I grew up on it in high school, but if I buy a German dunkel and that's what I'm expecting, I don't want to suddenly be drinking Colt .45. Overall I don't have a lot to complain about with this guy, but I might not buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 03:15:00 | More by BareFeetPete