Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel

Brewed by Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg
Style: Dunkel
Kelheim, Niederbayern, Germany

Brown ruby body, untroubled, with a small light beige head. Roasted nuts and caramels nose, without smokiness. Chocolate, caramel and malt flavors pour into the mouth. They are very well balanced in a medium carbonated body. Finish is sweet and lasting, but not overpowering. An excellent dunkel close to greatness.

Delightful Dunkel this one turned out to be. Had a bottle sitting around for quite some time and decided it was as good a night as any to finally ’crack’ it. Poured into a weissbier glass, deep reddish brown (very red!) with a short lather of beige foam that left some legs as I drank. Rich and inviting grated chocolate and toasted malt nose, with a hint of teramisú dessert, dark ripe fruits and roasted nuts. Fierce malt in the mouth, unexpected of a Dunkel, medium-light bodied and medium in carbonation which moved things along nicely. Sweet burnt sugars upfront, woody and toasted malt flavours mid-palate and a strong dose of mocha-latte and plums that followed into the long, meaty, malty swallow. Very clean, balanced and good to the last mouthful. I expected a great dark lager from this historic brewer and it certainly delivered. A lovely drop. (500mL bottle, 10/08/05)

Flavoursome German dunkel. Poured a deep chestnut colour with a garnet tint and a 1cm head that sizzled and laced before it collapsed. There are lots of dark fruit in the aroma - raisins, plums - and some underlying molasses, chocolate and fresh bread. Quite an oily mouthfeel, moderate carbonation. Bit thin in the body. Spicier than I expected, with strong chocolate notes and a robust finish for its 4.7% alcohol. Plenty of sweet dark malt. (500ml bottle, International Beer Shop, Perth)

Roasted malt aroma with some mild chocolate. Copper brown color with a fly white head yo! Fo shizzle. Again with the German trademark: lotta malt with sone caramel and molasses flavors. One dimensional, but how many German beers aren’t? It still manages to be a very drinkable beer.

Bottle marked 04-02-05. Poured a medium sized ivory head that was mostly lasting, fair lacing, fine-small sized bubbles, carbonated, transparent, and a red hue. Aroma was malty, caramel and sweet. Sweet, malty, caramel and some chocolate. Smooth palate.

Draught in Germany. Dark brown with white head, almost diminishing. Aroma moderate malty (brown sugar, bread) and light hoppy. Flavor moderate sweet, light bitter. Body light to medium, oily, soft carbonated.

From the oldest Monestery-Brewery in the world -- brewing since 1050 AD. Little did I know that the beer would also taste like it was made in 1050. The first pour was encouraging. It has a beautiful mahogany color and a lightly sweet brown sugar aroma. The aroma, however, was way too faint for my tastes. The was virtually no head and it dissapated very quickly. The taste was nothing to write the Monestery about. The flavor was entirely too watery with the sole flavors being roasted and overly roasted one. I won’t be purchasing this one again. Big disappointment.

500ml bottle. Damn fine looking pour, almost opaque caramel colored body that supports a large dense tan head. The aroma is sweet chocolate, some raisins and a bit of sweet wort. The flavor is caramel, cocoa and raisins. A bit of let down. Lively carbonation, medium body. Ok but it is no Capital Dunkel.