Summit Dunkel Weizen - Summit Brewing Company

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Review from notes; picked up a 12 oz bottle on a late August visit to Iowa (bought at John's in IC), consumed mid-October. Dated 08/16/12. Poured to a pint glass back home in Oregon.

"Unchained Series - Batch 09"

A: Deep copper-orange coloring, moderate carbonation. Loud, fizzing head, (almond colored and soda-like), building to about a finger, dissipating rather quickly. Slim lace bands linger before fading. A little hazy, as it should be.

S: I originally gave a 3.5 (before the new .25 point grading), but adjusted today; it was a category I recall wavering on... Good bready/fruity aroma - apple, raisin clove and roasted nuttiness.

T: Mild 'banana' flavor, MUCH stronger 'clove' spicing. Not to say it's over-bearing or imbalanced - it is neither - but earthy/dry clove plays a part in initial tastes and beyond (see Mouthfeel).

M: VERY fizzy carbonation in the mouth, bordering on too much. Light-medium body, but a trailing clove/spice zing adds a nice finish.

O: Pretty likeable dunkel, at the end of the day. Have only had one other chance to try ANYthing from Summit (that on a layover at MSP several years ago), so it was nice to get a seasonal/limited sipper like this. Authentic to the Germanic standards, solid all-around. Would I have this again? Absolutely.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 00:34:25 | More by msubulldog25

barczar

Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a murky brown with a solid inch and a half light khaki head that slowly dissipates, leaving sheets of lacing.

Orange, wheat, coriander, caramelly sweet, bready, toasted malt and banana esters form the aroma.

There's a toasted barley character throughout the flavor profile, with notes of chocolate and nuttiness. Tangy orange, wheat, banana, and coriander lurk beneath. The finish it's slightly dry and fairly toasty.

Body is creamy and on the full side, with carbonation lightening things up a bit.

Overall, a great example of the style. Malt and hefe yeast esters blend well. Not enough toasted and roasted flavors to dominate, but they add complexity to the banana, wheat, and orange flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 23:37:35 | More by barczar

danedelman

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-reddish brown with a 1 finger head. Slightly hazy to be true to style.

S-I get lot of dried fruits, figs dates raisins. Then a breast backbone with a slight clove lying back. Perfect to style.

T-really enjoy this one. Similar to the smell but adds a bit of a cereal taste on the finish. Almost corn. Takes a bit away from this.

M-medium bodied.

O-a great find for $7.49 a 6 pack. Great drink ability.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 17:15:05 | More by danedelman

dbossman

Nebraska

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy, iced-tea colored beer with an incredibly large, foamy head; lacing is okay

S: Banana and cloves are prominent up front, of course, but so is a heavy bready, biscuity base; this smells like freshly baked, lightly spiced banana bread; mmm

T: Of course the bananas and cloves are at the forefront but so are the biscuity, toasty malts; some other spices--nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper--play off those toasty malts quite well

F: A touch thin and yet creamy but fairly typical for the style--perhaps a touch under-carbonated

O: An easy drinking beer; I love dunkel weizens and this one does the trick

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:07:12 | More by dbossman

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Brownish red in color, like dark tea with a slight chill haze. Poured with a short white foam that quickly reduced to a wispy cap. Sweet banana aroma up front with earthy wheat malt, yeast, sweet dark roasted malt and herbal hop aromas in tow. Medium bodied with aggressive, tangy carbonation. Sweet banana flavor up front with mellow roasted malt beneath. Tangy, herbal hop bite in the middle followed by earthy, yeasty flavors to the end. Finished with a hint of dark roasted malt and raw yeasty aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 01:42:40 | More by IronLover

312HopBomb

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Clear Reddish brown in color . Not much visible carbonation and no lacing.

S: Fruity dark malt and slightly sour.

T: Dark roasted wheat and full dark fruit. Slightly sweet with a tart finish.

M: Tingly bite and full for a weiss beer.

O: An interesting take on the dunkel weizen style.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 03:19:27 | More by 312HopBomb

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz into tulip. no bottled on date.

A: a hazed, but very bright, light brown/almost orange hue. head is brownish and white. retention is terrible as it disappears quickly.

S: a little bit of a vinous, corky aroma. banana. ground ginger. the vinous scent is a little off-putting.

T: pretty classic dunkel flavors to start. caramel, sweet fruits, a little bit of clove. a little cheesy? a lingering caramel flavor lasts long into the finish. along with a mild fruitiness.

M: ample carbonation on a medium body.

D: not bad, just not too impressed either. not sure if this was sitting for too long or just not great. maybe better closer to the source....

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 00:28:30 | More by Jimmys

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to barzigkin for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a brownish orange color with an off-white head. The aroma features a lot of banana and toffee notes, about as I expected. The flavor is a bit more complex. I get some wheat and biscuit malt notes, as well as some banana, toffee and cloves. There is also a hint of yeast in the flavor. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 19:13:13 | More by Mora2000

russpowell

Oklahoma

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

Pours a semi-hazed & effervescent ice tea color with a finger of khaki colored head. Great head retention & good lacing

S: Green banana & bubble gum

T: Follows the nose, pears, & a little bit of brown bread up front. Green apples, green bananas & herbal/woody bitterness as this warms, some grassy notes, a slight bit of smokeyness as well. Finishes with some bubble gum & green apple skins & woody bitterness/dryness, plus just a bit of boozeyness

MF: Light bodied, slight carbonation

No threat to any of any of Germany's best, but pretty repspectable & drinkable

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 00:43:39 | More by russpowell

soju6

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy reddish-brown color with a decent head that fades to some lacing.

S: Aroma of bananas, some roasted malt, bit of toffee sweetness and just a bit of spice.

T: Taste of roasted malt, chocolate, some toffee with a mild sweetness. There is an easy bitterness in the background with a clean finish.

F: Medium body, quite smooth and well balanced.

O: Very enjoyable drinker. Nice take on the style. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 19:38:25 | More by soju6

hardy008

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy burnt orange color with a 3 finger off white head with very good retention and lacing. The aroma has bananas, bread malt, and cloves. Smells like it should be a sweet beer.

The taste is sweet, but not overly sweet, with bananas, bread malt, cloves, yeast, and a small amount of lemon. Taste every bit like a Dunkelweizen should taste.

Light bodied with soft carbonation. Has a lightly sweet aftertaste. Very refreshing, and easy to drink. Nicely made.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 01:05:57 | More by hardy008

bmike86

Iowa

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I picked up a 6 pack from Byerly’s in Minnetonka.

Appearance --- a hazy golden-brownish (pretty much honey) in color with about 1 finger worth of a light off-white head with a tint of yellow, with a minimal amount of suds left lacing the glass while drinking.

Smell --- not much with the scent, a bit of banana and wheat

Taste --- banana, bread, malts

Mouth feel --- fairly light, minimal bitterness

Overall --- I am not a big fan of wheat beers, but am a fan of Summit’s take on the dunkel weizen. I think I would be a bit more excited about it, if it did not have as similar characteristics as the hefeweizen they recently axed from their lineup. I would love for this one to become a spring or fall seasonal, especially since I like this one and have little use for their Maibock. But with all of the recent changes to their lineup, I doubt additional change will happen. It is a shame, because I really enjoyed this one. If there are any around, I highly suggest sneaking in a taste of this before the new Unchained comes out and replaces this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 22:35:22 | More by bmike86

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Red with orange highlights. Head is thin but lasts well. Fairly hazy.
S- The smell is very heavy on the banana. There are some dark malts and a hint of clove, but those are pretty reserved compared to the banana. Still, very good aromas.
T- The taste is more balanced. A fair bit of spice up front. Some fruity, bananaesque sweetness round it out. There is just the slightest hint of smokyness in the finish.
M- Body is about standard for the style. I actually found it a bit overcarbed, a bit abrasive at times.
O- The dunkelweizen is a style that I think is way underrated by American breweries. I enjoy a good dunkel. This is a sound example that has all the requisites that needs just a touch more balancing and bit less aggressive carbonation to being a great example.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 01:23:58 | More by jsprain1

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Beertopia in Omaha, NE
No bottled on date, but "1353 73W042" stamped on bottom
Poured into a Weihenstephaner weizen glass

Summit's unchained dunkelweiss is a version of the style that plays up the roasted characters of the style a bit, bringing out some char and chocolate in the normal dunkelweiss mix. Unfortunately, the beer is a bit weak in its olfactory and gustatory presentation, hinting at flavors more than asserting with them. The one flavor that is overly expressed, I felt, was the roasted malt, which ventured into slightly burnt malt territory (and believe me, I've burnt malt before), and comes across as less than desirable. Overall, a fairly average to slightly above average version of the style.

Pours a very tall, tan head, as expected, made up of small and medium-sized bubbles. Retention is only about average, this declines fairly quickly and only leaves minimal lacing on the sides of the glass. Head eventually settles to a thin (0.2cm) cap atop the body. Body of beer is a deep, fairly dark, orange-brown color, with light bringing out the orange around the edges of a brown center. Beer is opaque from swirled-in sediment, but I can see some carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass.

Aroma is fairly faint overall, yielding a bit of old banana, yeast, and a bit of toasted malt; you really have to dig to find some of these, though. Not as bold or bountiful as its German counterparts, pretty average.

Tasting opens with some mild roasted flavors and mild sweetness a bit like apple cider. Mid-palate brings in more roasted malt, overripe bananas, some bread dough, and a bit of light apple juice sweetness. The roasted malt sticks out a bit more than expected, more than usual in a dunkelweizen, actually coming across as slightly burnt. This is just at the border of unacceptable, but as it does not cross that line, I actually find it somewhat different and enjoyable. Back of palate picks up continued cider-like sweetness, bread-like flavors, and a hint of chocolate. Lingering aftertaste of slightly burnt malt, ripe banana, and some yeast. Generally good, but the burnt flavors aren't particularly to my liking and become off-putting after a while. Also, feel that the flavors could be bolder, like the scent.

Beer's body is medium-light in weight, with carbonation that's a bit below medium for this beer. The result is a fairly light beer that sits around a bit too long on the palate. Finish is dry with a slight residual stickiness on the lips.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 20:19:36 | More by falloutsnow

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle with a best by date of 07/28/12

Look is a dark brown/amber with a small sticky head. Smell is very hefe-like at first with clove, banana, and yeast. As you dig, there's grain and malt manifesting as cinnamon rolls and freshly baked bread. Taste starts out crisp, grainy, and woody. Clove and banana notes fade into deep roasted flavors: light cocoa, toasted grain, cinnamon rolls again, and toasted bread. Very pleasant, but ultimately too sweet for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 04:03:16 | More by jimmah120

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a weizen glass.
Enjoy by 08/16/12 printed on the neck.

A - Poured with most of the sediment, this beer is an incredibly cloudy deep caramel cube brown color with a thick, tall latte head. The loose bubbles were poorly retained for a weizenbier though, and left very little lace on the glass.

S - Explosive banana esters die out quickly to a lull, softly engaging the wheat nose and dark, sweet malt. Notes of molasses and brown sugar baked beans (minus the off-bean part) enter with clove and white pepper spiciness. Musty and earthy, this Unchained Dunkel Weizen has a complex aroma with lingering dark fruits and dense wheat bread.

T - Complimenting the typical weizen characteristics well, Unchained Dunkel Weizen offers a blend of caramelized malt sweetness with light nutty notes. The 'typical' aspects consist of a heavy yeast profile; banana and clove esters with some earthy white pepper spice. Mmm.

M - Medium-full bodied, the wheat adds a soft feel to the body that mellows out the spritzier carbonation. Balanced well, the beer is sweet but not cloying.

O - Summit's Unchained Dunkel Weizen doesn't scream excellence to me, but I'll be damned if it isn't a tasty brew. Heavy yeast profile found throughout this beer really shines with plentiful depth while wheat softens and rounds out the full body provided by some more, darker malts. The earthy characteristics push this beer towards something I'd really enjoy in late summer-early fall months.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 02:03:51 | More by BeerFMAndy

budgood1

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours out a turbid burnt sienna colour with a large frothy light tan head. ample lacing as per the style. looks great! banana esters upon first whif followed by a healthy dose of clove, caramel and cocoa. not overly spicy, but about just right. the taste provides more fruitiness than i was expecting...bananas and a lemon twist upon first impression. a slight alcohol spice intertwines with some clove and wheat notes. a nice hop layer also contibutes to the fun and contributes a slight bitterness. the addition of the healthy amount of dregs adds a definite yeasty aspect that seems to smooth out the overall profile quite a bit. unchained #9 has a relatively sturdy body with a creamy, smoothed out mouthfeel. pretty nice. drinkability is very good.

overall a winner IMHO. it sort of blurs the line between dunkel and weizenbock, but clearly lies in the former category. this offering is a respectable and unique rendition of a lesser known style. definitely recommended for consumption as a change up in the weizen drinking season.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 01:18:40 | More by budgood1

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 12oz brown pop top with cool minimalist 'Unchained' label; best-by 8-16-12. Picked this up in KC...was looking all around mid-Mo for a dunkelweizen other than the 500 ml bottles of Weihenstephaner which are often out of code, and love Summit. KC gets Summit even though the rest of the state doesn't. Booyah!

Appearance: Murky sienna beer, capped with a dark eggshell colored crown with decent retention.

Smell: Mostly estery banana, with some doughy notes in the background, a ghostly whisper of alchol, and a hint of sweet graininess. As this warms, hints of clove and sweet toffee emerge, so I'm bumping this up from what I gave it originally. Pleasant overall, if not tons of depth.

Taste: Banana jumps out front from the get-go, which I don't really mind for the style. The only problem is (and it pains me to say this, as I was really wanting to love this beer) that there's not much behind it. There's very minimal bready malts, and a sort of odd light astringency here as well. Perhaps some dark fruit flavors as well, but they're mild (although nice). Overall, not a ton going on.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light, esp. for teh 6%, but it has that nice hefeweizen drinkability.

Overall: Like I said, I wanted to love this beer, but I just can't. It'd be great for gulping down with German food outside at a hot July picnic, but I probably wouldn't buy it again to drink on its own. Summit makes some really tasty beers, and their Unchained series has produced some awesome stuff, but this one's fairly average.

At around $8-9 a sixer, I'd have to give this a B-.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 03:24:10 | More by BedetheVenerable

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. It does not look like there is a freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a 300 ml weizen glass. The color is cloudy, dark caramel. Two fingers of light tan head dissipated to leave a thin lacing and ring around the edge.

Smell: In a word: classic. Banana (very reminiscent of banana bread), cloves, apple, a little bubblegum, and an undertone of caramel and toffee. As the beer warms, hints of darker fruit emerge — mostly raisin and plum, but I could smell a little strawberry and raspberry, too.

Taste: Much like the smell, but the caramel and toffee are much more pronounced than the fruit. In the background are the usual suspects: banana, cloves, a little pepper, and apple.

Drinkability: All in all, it is pretty standard. However, off the top of my head I do not think I have had a better American dunkelweizen. The brewer mentioned it was inspired by a German version and I think he matched it to a tee.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 04:06:52 | More by TheQuietMan22

kwill

Texas

4.73/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Hazy golden brown, just like you would expect from the style.

Smell/Taste: Excellent. The banana and clove is heavy and adds a great aroma and flavor.

Overall: Excellent dunkelweiss. I am a big fan of this style and Summit's version is among the best I have had.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 01:54:53 | More by kwill

ZAP

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Hazed burnt orange color

S-Overripe banana drizzled with cocoa and caramel....smells the part...

T-Similar to the aroma but not as strong....tasty but slightly dialed down in flavor compared to the aroma...the banana is still there along with now a hint of vanilla but the cocoa/caramel is more muted on the taste..

M-Easy drinking...carbonation is about perfect....I hate when Weizens get too charged up and this does NOT do that.

O-Very enjoyable. Not quite in NG Black Wheat territory but a fantastic rendition of a not too commonly brewed style. I definitely will be looking to secure another 6er or two of this for the summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 04:47:45 | More by ZAP

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I love a good Dunkel Weizen. Will I love this one? Good question…

Clouded, burgundy hued, soft purple, I'll call it, under a vast, voluminous head of off-white, pillowy foam. Looks fantastic.

Aroma: clove and banana hit first, followed by some darker fruit, grape, berry, melon. Light spiciness, deep fruitiness, gorgeous wheat character. Ever so ever so.

Taste: Slides into the mouth assuredly, with the full wheat flavor, mixed with the classic Bavarian yeast, the fruit, the spice, the refreshment. So tasty, and so easy to drink, layers of complexity, and a heck of a lot of yum.

It takes a minute or two, but eventually it turns to dry, after a little bit of sweet. You have to get past that for a minute, but not I, I am partial to this flavor, and drink it up with all delight. Great wheat texture, smooth, silky, and, mmm. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

Another good one in the Unchained Series. Haven't had much to complain about, yet. Doing good, Summit.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2012 02:53:36 | More by feloniousmonk

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Unchained #9

Pours a layer of beige tan head. Sticks around for a while. Color is a hazed dark golden bronze. Rustic looking.

Aroma: Bananas, chocolate, cloves, and other spices. A touch of caramel sweetness.

Taste: More sweetness to start things out. Caramel and bananas. Cloves, chocolate, and just a hint of roasted malts.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy. Light to medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Ends a little dry.

Overall, this was a decent beer. Not my favorite rendition of they style, but definitely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 00:43:21 | More by mothman

HopHead84

California

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

5/13/2012

A: Murky orange tinged brown with half an inch of jaundice cream that bubbles into nothing after minute.

S: Baked bread melds with clove and banana esters. Lesser notes of bubblegum accompany wheat and touch of citrus. There's just a hint of vanilla.

T: Rich bready malt notes with strong clove and an even blend of banana and bubblegum. I get a little pear and a dash of orange.

M: Medium body with upper medium carbonation.

Overall: A pretty nice Dunkelweizen, though a little heavy on the clove for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 02:49:46 | More by HopHead84

sweethome

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pour in to Chimay small goblet. Rather dark amber color, minimal head.

Nose of over-ripe banana and bubblegum. A hint of yeast. Smooth entry - slight, citric bite. Yeah,slight. A rather easy drinker. Not much banana/clove here - more dunkel than weizen. Nothing wrong here, just not full or deep, without complexity.

Rather smooth and light for style.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 05:48:30 | More by sweethome