Friday, February 06, 2009

Warsteiner Dunkel: Not that impressed

I'm blogging live from the Flying Saucer! Today's fire sale is Warsteiner Dunkel for $2.75/pint. Unfortunately, I'm only mildly impressed with it. I suppose in a universe that made sense, I'd rave over how this product of Germany is the real deal and blissfully good, but to tell you the truth, it isn't nearly in the class of the Texas-made dark weizens that I praised in a recent post.

I'm not sure what the problem is – I just realized I've had it before and really liked it, specifically at last year's Wurstfest. It just doesn't have that banana-ish taste that I was expecting after falling in love with North by Northwest's Dunkel. The glass I'm having right now just starts off like a plain dark, not unlike Shiner Bock. It is redeemed, however, with a touch of honey on the finish that I enjoy.

Perhaps the taste was enhanced last November by how much fun I was having down in New Braunfels. I'm puzzled.

[UPDATE: Okay, one of the posts in the comments section has helped clarify some of my confusion. This dunkel doesn't taste like a dunkelweizen because, well, it isn't one. They're two different styles. My beer education continues.]

Okay, I'm actually supposed to be working right now, so I'd better put down the blog and get back to reading this report on the Texas Legislature I brought with me.

12 comments:

Fowl Birdwatcher said...

hacker pschorr ftw. get to the draught!

hiikeeba said...

At Oktoberfest here in Fredericksburg, they have it on tap and it is what you are remembering--full of those banana and clove flavors common in a hefe. Like you, I don't like it from a bottle. It tastes skunky and cardboardy to me.

Lee said...

Jeffrey: But what I had here was draft. So I'm still puzzled.

FB: Sorry, I'm not understanding what "ftw" means. And you're talking about the Draught House?

Anonymous said...

The names are confusing, but a dunkel is a dark lager, unlike dunkelweizen and weizenbock which have banana and clove flavors.

Lee said...

Well that explains it. I just thought "dunkel" was short for "dunkelweizen."

assurbanipaul said...

What anon said: A Münich dunkel is a completely different style than a dunkelweizen. This is the same style as the Shiner 98.

You should probably amend your post.

Anonymous said...

Even for its style, I find the Warsteiner completely uninspiring. They strike me as a quantity over quality outfit. Still, it's hard to go wrong with $2.75 a pint!

Anonymous said...

your giving beer reviews and you dont know what the difference between a dunkel and a dunkelweizen? sorry but thought it was funny.
"ftw" means for the win.

Anonymous said...

weizen means wheat. so anything with the word weizen in it is a wheat beer. warsteiner dunkel is not a wheat beer. you are more likely to find those banana scents that you're talking about in wheat beer.

Anonymous said...

i forgot to add that dunkel means dark. so a dunkelweizen would be a dark wheat beer.

Anonymous said...

i forgot to add that dunkel means dark. so a dunkelweizen would be a dark wheat beer.

Anonymous said...

Thank God this guy doesn't make my beer drinking decisions for me!!!! I love it.

Scott