König Ludwig Dunkel - Kaltenberg International / König Ludwig International GmbH & Co.KG

kojevergas

California

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on draught into a Konig Ludwig Dunkel .3L glass in Berlin, Germany.

A: Pours a dark brown colour with a lovely head of moderate cream and fair retention. Appealing.

Sm: Light scent of treated barley, very hoppy but subtle. Maybe some chocolate.

T: Chocolate and cream on open to balanced build of hops with a creamy finish. Rather nice. The cream is balanced on either side of the body yet the chocolate bleeds into the body, a very nice effect in a dunkel.

Mf: Silky but not too dry or wet. Glides along the tongue like a hydroplaning tyre. Quite fantastic. Dry on the open, but not overdone.

Dr: If the open wasn't so dry, I could down pint after pint, but this beer doesn't go for repeated session style drinking; it's meant to be enjoyed. Give it a go, lads.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2011 21:20:37 | More by kojevergas

jneiswender

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on draft at a restaurant near Neauschwanstein Castle. Served in a half liter mug cool.

A-dark brown gem body, off white head.

S-creamy smell.

T-cereal, jolly rancher, raisin, just enough floral hop for balance.

M-medium to full

D-very nice beer. Nice with food. Not outstanding but very good. I would drink this beer again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2010 16:55:03 | More by jneiswender

jmhart

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

On tap with dinner in Aachen.

A- Came out a DARK brown with a white head that faded into nearly nothing. It didn't appear as thick as I would have assumed.

S- Rich roasted malt flavors: caramel, prunes, a little nutty.

T- A kind of surprising sweetness hits first, a little sweeter than others I had on my trip. Underneath the flavor were some nice stewed dark fruits like prunes/raisins. Caramel and nuts complemented the fruit. If anything, the sweetness kind of covered up the other flavors.

M- Relative to the style, it was pretty light bodied without much carbonation or bite. Overall, I felt the mouthfeel was lacking.

D- The sweetness was a bit much for being so light bodied which made it a little difficult to finish.

Overall, not the best dunkel I had while touring Germany. It was nice to broaden my experience with the style, but I would be unlikely to purchase this again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2010 00:02:01 | More by jmhart

Travlr

District of Columbia

3.95/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark chestnut brown with a thin tan head and moderate lacing.
S: Dark fruit aroma with malt and caramel, some vanilla.
T: Flavor starts with sweet malt and progresses to plums and dates, slight bitter finish.
M: Slightly on the thin side, consistent with the style.
D: Good example of a dunkel, nice enough, but not outstanding.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2010 17:03:38 | More by Travlr

czfreeman

Michigan

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Konig Ludwig Dunkel pours a medium brown, light ruby tones around the corners of the glass. The bier really produces quite a lovely head, light tan rocky, riaing out of the top of my glass, nice lacing.
Aromas of light smoky wood-like notes,brown sugar-maltiness, light figginess, raisin, digging a bit past the initial sweetness, light mineral-like bitterness and a touch of peppery spice. alls finished with a slight bitter hop bite that finishs the beer cleanly, however a bit watery and not quite as full or "musty" as other examples I have recently tried.
Flavor is light, clean and not sweet in the least. Like a very light English mild ale, medium carbonation, smooth malt sweetness, light smoky tobacco like mustiness,slightly sweet caramel, chocolate, toast, and a light nuttiness.
Wheras it sems mot people immediatly write this beer and others of the style based on reading previous reviews, upon a little R&D of the style and why it is a light beer, this beer really fits the tee of a dark colored, yet light bodied and highly drinkable brew.
I find myself liking this more as subsequent sips follow, the light body and slighty sweet nutty character would play really well against a spelt encrusted seared venison loin, with a barley risotto and porcini mushrooms to complement the nutty character of the brew. Well crafted, and I look foward to trying it again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2009 19:53:09 | More by czfreeman

Domingo

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Found notes on this brew from my winter trip to Germany while cleaning out my bag!
I got this brew in a cafe at the foot of Neuschwanstein castle.
Because of the cold and altitude, mugs of this were a welcome sight, hence why they likely had ads for it on all of the outdoor menus.
Came in a small (10 oz?) mug.
It's a dark brown color, nearly black, but still clear enough to see through. Minimal head on this one, which is rare in Bavaria, even for a dunkel.
Flavors are crisp and husky. A little bit of dark chocolate, but not that strong. Nothing special, but not bad either. Nothing off plus some pleasant (but mild) flavors thrown in can be the best thing in the world depending on the situation. Might make a good session brew.
Mouthfeel is very thin. This might be where the lack of head comes from. Keeps the drinkability high, but it's a little too thin compared to some of the best of the style.
This seems to be a pretty common brew as you head into this area of Bavaira. I see more ads and crates for Kaltenberg along the trainlines near the alps. The Neuschwanstein area is VERY touristy, so don't expect any bargains but this beer would make a good session brew if you picked up a 6'er around town.

(EDIT: On a later trip I found this to be much better. Perhaps the tourist trap I bought this one at just had an old keg)

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2006 17:51:34 | More by Domingo

paulaner

Japan

4.72/5  rDev +26.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The appearance is a dark black just like a coca-cola. The smell is a great dark beer smell but not very noticeable unless you are really searching for it. This beer is a very addictive one you drink it get the bitterness the wetness then it dries out and you just want more and keep drinking it I always have to put just one or two in the fridge at a time or else it all disappears. The only downfall is it is only available in my region ounce a year on tap and is like searching for a needle in the haystack to find it bottled. The mouthfeel is pleasant and smooth with the bitterness leaving you addicted to it. For the german dunkel beers I have found few as strong of flavor as this.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2004 20:18:29 | More by paulaner

stcules

Italy

2.53/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Coca cola - like colour, with dark reflexes. Decent foam, medium in compactness, with low persistence.
The smell is malty, with plums, very very light toasted, maybe a hint of citrus fruit, but in the end, not partularly conspicuous.
The taste is malty, and fruity (black cherry over all). Lightly toasted, and a hint of acidity. Some woody-bitter-astringency notes.
Medium body.
Bitter aftertaste, and malty, not very pleasant. (and with some astringency and citric again).
In the end, it is a bit heavy...

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2004 20:08:25 | More by stcules

Bierman9

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I quaffed a 1/2 litre of this while at a restaurant called Deutsche Eiche, in the München suburb of Lochhausen.
The König poured a medium brown color, was clear, and had a lasting, creamy tan head. It left behind very nice lacing, and was an attractive looking Bier altogether. Aroma was semi-malty, with some caramel and roasty notes, yet mild. Body was a bit thinner than medium, though it was still nice on the tongue. Flavor-wise, it was roasty, with light caramel again and dark malt flavors throughout. Finishing, though, with a mild bitterness, it is a decent Bier, yet one I found a bit too mild in most all categories save for appearance. Zum Wohl!!

overall: 3.7
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | mouthfeel: 3.5 | drinkability: 3.5

620

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2003 14:45:50 | More by Bierman9

Gavage

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The waitress brought over the dunkel in a nice Kaltenberg glass. Nice thick head adorned the dark copper liquid. The head slowly drifted away to the sides of the glass. Great malt aroma. The taste was wonderful, matching what I have expected in a well made dunkel. No adverse bitterness and a smooth malt aftertaste that lingered softly on the tongue. The alcohol level was perfect. One of the better dunkels I have experienced on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2003 01:06:59 | More by Gavage

Douberd

Netherlands

3.35/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Long neck brown bottle, 330 ml, bought in Germany. Poured into a lager glass at home. ABV 5,1%.

Dark brown colour on the body, with lots of activity in it. Two fingers of off-white, creamy head with good retention.. After a bit most of the foam disappears, becoming a thick film covering the beer's surface.
Very nice aroma of roasted malts, along with some chocolate.
Taste follos the nose. Roasted malts, some caramel too now and the chocolate flavour more obvious on the finish, giving this beer a nice bitter aftertaste.
Thin to medium on the body, light carbonation and a long dry finish.
Overall a good session dunkel.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 17:45:13 | More by Douberd

sDon

3.84/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a solid Dunkel. There is a little foam, not too much carbonation, and a nice taste -- dark chocolate and coffee but not sweet or bitter. No alcohol detected (at least for me) and it is very drinkable.

At the same time, there is not as much going on in this beer in terms of taste as some other Dunkels: cf. Augustiner Dunkles beer, even Hacker Pschorr Dunkles, which has a more refreshing and satisfying flavor. A clear finish, but with not much to make you remember it.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 23:59:33 | More by sDon

Tomais

Germany

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pilsner glass

Huge bubbles, frothy off-white head. Reminded me of sea froth after a storm on the beach.. Recedes fairly quick. Little lacing. Looks a like a dark red-lemonade against the light, otherwise a very clear mohogany brown.

Smells malty alcoholic sweet and bitter. Not burnt, but not far off - well toasted I guess.
A little bit of toffee or caramel hard-roasted on the baking tray.

There's a good balance between the initial fruity malt, with the hops -and some bitterness- in the background. Malty again on swallowing. Nice flush of carbonation with the malt,
Tastes good, but it doesnt quite live up to the more complex smell.

Very drinkable - with snow outside at any rate ;-)
BB 25 06 2013

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 19:22:36 | More by Tomais

karait95

Mexico

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: color is dark reddish, head is not so big so retention is almost not present. Carbonation is also low bit a small layer keeps on top of the beer.

S: not very intense, some toasted malts are present after smelling a lot, not much is clearly noticed.

T: flavor is good,toasted malts are present again but this time flavor is intense not as faint as aroma.

M: refresh and balanced, more a neutral beer than a changing sensation all the time has little sweetness and little bitterness.

A beer just a little above average.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 03:34:33 | More by karait95

rarbring

Sweden

3.35/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A clear brown red hinted brew, a tan head with little lacing but some curtains.

Smelling caramel, bread and some soy sauce.

Sweet brown bread, caramel, dried red fruits, honey. Some bitter (rye) bread crust.

Little carbonation, soft and smooth, a small body, a slightly dry finish.

A light rather airy beer, with a short impression.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 19:27:12 | More by rarbring

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smell: Malt, malt and more malt, as malty as you like.

Appearance: A very noisy, light mushroom coloured two-finger head which dissipates slowly. Translucent mahogany body, absolutely no bubbles.

Taste: The aroma is misleading. From the first swig I get a complex symphony of roasted malt and honey, and maybe some citrus. A lovely lager. Despite the lack of bubbles it's quite fizzy but probably just right though. It's metallic but not detrimentally so. Okay, just been for a whizz and a most intriguing aroma has developed in my mouth, like a woody sauna aroma, or maybe walnut with a hint of brandy. Complex - nice.

Overall: There's a place for everything and this lager is in its place. I was very put off by its harsh roasted malt nose but that's because I'm a hops man. But a good beer is a good beer, and this is a bloody good beer. I'd have it again, no troubles.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 16:02:59 | More by Hoppsbabo

bigrzman

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer has a mohogany color with a thin white head. Carbonation is tight and small. Smells include earthy hops and caramel malts. the taste is complex with toasted malts, chocolate, almonds, and earthy/medicinal hop bite. mouthfeel is balanced for malts and hops, slightly creamy and silky, and tinfling amd slightly drying. Overall this is a very good dunkle.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 11:37:32 | More by bigrzman

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.15/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown, huge brownish-white creamy head, good retention.

Mix of roasted malts and a sweet nutty, chocolate aroma along with hints of caramel.

Roasted malts and rich nutty flavour with sweet malts & chocolate at the back.

Smooth with a medium body & very refreshing. Good carbonation.

An excellent beer & up there with the best dunkels I have tried thus far. Rich & creamy, real easy to drink.

This is 1 of 1001 beers to try before you die:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 00:18:14 | More by flyingpig

spointon

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A friend brought me this bottle (and others) straight from Germany in his suitcase. Poured from a 500ml brown bottle into a clear mug.

A= This beer poured a deep blackish brown with a creamy white 1" head. The eventually head dropped to a skim that left some decent lace on my glass.

S= Aroma was light roast, malty sweetness, dark fruit.

T= Started off sweet and dark-malty with a kiss off roasted malt to take the edge off. Not cloying in any way but certainly balanced toward the sweeter side of things. Light noble hop detectable but faint through the middle. Finished pretty clean and refreshing.

MF= Medium body with a nice spritzy carbonation and prickly feel.

D= As far as I know this was only my third Dunkel beer and I liked it a lot. Very drinkable and pretty refreshing, though I wouldn't want one on a 90 degree day. Would pair exceptionally well with a steak or with smoked meats.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 07:20:54 | More by spointon

Theicon44

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

KLD (Konig Ludwig Dunkel is just too much to type...) is typical of dark wheat beer, but certainly better than most in all respects. It's taste hints of caramel, molasses and honey but neither flavor is overpowering, nor do they detract from KLD's surprisingly easy drinkability. I first tried it in the tourist town of Rudisheim on the Rhine river. I was immediately impressed with the beer's taste - far and away the best dunkelweiss I have ever had - but was later even more impressed at how un-filling and light KLD was for a typically heavy style of beer. I'm sure the calorie count doesn't reflect this, however, even if they do go down like a domestic light.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 16:10:47 | More by Theicon44

rtepiak

Poland

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

an extremely well place leanness to this dunkel which makes it, in this case, susceptible to aging conflicts. this beer was a bit metalic but not overpoweringly so. malt is toasty perfect with a subtle sour apple. a one dimensional toasty. not sweet. and somewhat appetite inducing.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 23:57:08 | More by rtepiak

RuudJH

Netherlands

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

0.5 l bottle encounter with a dark German lager.

Dark ruby colour, soapy head that hangs in, not much carbonation.

Smell is a bit like a lager, but with roasty notes. It has hops and yeast.
Taste is equal: roasty character is a bit faint. Hops and yeast have to work hard to get through. There's a balanced aftertaste of bitterness and sweet malts.

Mouthfeel is light. I could do with a bit more bubbles.
All in all an ok experience. A dark beer is often good with some food.
Have some bread with cheese or sausage with this.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 14:32:17 | More by RuudJH

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear, cola brown appearance, big, booming, beige head.

Aroma: caramel and toffee, sweet malt, but well tempered.

Taste: Smooth and malty, caramel and toffee all over the palate, minimal hops, great texture, tons of tastiness going on.
Medium bodied...supremely drinkable dunkel, not lacking in any way, good texture, great play on the palate. Leaves you asking for more and more.

This will go down in history, not as the best beer I've had, or even the best dunkel, but the beer my friend/customer David brought back for me from Deutschland....after having a stroke!!! Who does that? What, A, man!

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 09:09:06 | More by feloniousmonk

Brabander

Netherlands

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought this beer last week in Germany with many other beers. I didn't know this beer so i tried it. Poured in a dutch beerglas the head is very nice and big with almost no lacing.

The beer itself is darkamber, not brown. I could smell some caramel and coffee. Very little carbonation.

For a dunkel beer the beer is not that dark,nice to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 21:10:56 | More by Brabander

soju6

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer is a nice mahogany brown with a good head and light carbonation. The smell is like roasted caramel, sort of sweet. The taste is a bit sweet with a bitterness. It has a balanced flavor with a medium body that is smooth and easy to drink. This is a drinkable brew which seems to go best with food.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 12:08:57 | More by soju6