Smells like a Werther’s original. Bad sign. Diacetyl bomb with hints of grapes and cola. Terrible.

Crayon brown color with a tiny head that disappears into nothing. Smelled like sour root beer, and tasted was of sour infected beer, didn’t even closely resemble a dunkel of any sort, terrible.

Pint at the brewery. Dark red and brown hue. Light smoke and toasted malt presence in the nose. More of a sweet corn smoke. Doesn’t resemble a proper dunkel - sweet and toasty charred grains, husky grains. Bitter but not hoppy, and the bitterness is not enjoyable. This beer is a mess, and it needs to just do one and thing and be good at it. But at least it doesn’t taste terrible. It’s sweet enough and has enough toasted malt and smoke flavor to pass. I don’t see how this medaled at GABF.

Draught at the brew pub. Dark brown color, red around the edges. Head was off white and didn’t leave any lace. Smelled like a tootsie roll. Tasted of brown sugar, soy sauce, and milk chocolate. Quite a combination.