HALF AND HALF: Half warm Guinness and half chilled Guinness. Some Irish claim that this produces the perfect temperature Guinness.
BLACKSMITH OR PINT OF SPECIAL: Half Smithwick’s Irish Red Ale, half Guinness. This is the way to order a Black and Tan in Ireland if you don’t want to get kicked out of the pub.
SNAKEBITE: Half lager, half hard apple cider. This is a common choice for new beer drinkers because of the sweetness.
SHANDY: A percentage (50% to 60%) of beer (lager or lighter ale) and lemonade or lemon-lime soda.
BLACK AND GOLD OR BLACK APPLE: Half hard apple cider and half Guinness.
BLACK BASTARD: Half Stone’s famous Arrogant Bastard Ale and half Guinness.
BLACK AND BLOOD: Half Guinness and half Ribena (a popular black currant juice abroad).
Get Deep
This is where we delve a little deeper into a world ruled by a Dark Lord. Okay, maybe we’re going too far with that, but we definitely want to turn you on to a beer style that doesn’t get as much play in America as it should: the Bavarian-born Dunkel (pronounced DOONK-ELL). Even though these beers are deep in color, there’s no deep, dark mystery here. Dunkel is just German for “dark.” That’s it. Now, Dunkel can be a little confusing because the word dark can really be applied to almost any darker beer. As you know, we don’t like to judge a beer by its color; in this case, it’s the flavor profile of these Dunkels that really sets them apart from other dark beers, like Porters or Stouts.
We talked about Pilsners in Chapter 3 and how they were met with such acclaim and popularity. Well, that’s because up until the 1840s all beer was pretty much dark, or Dunkel. However, because the brewing process wasn’t necessarily understood, those beers were dark, muddy, murky, and questionable in flavor at best. These aren’t the Dunkel beers we’re talking about here. The Dunkels of today are clear dark lagers that aren’t necessarily heavy, charred, or smoky. Dunkels traditionally also use a method called decoction (a word that makes us giggle). The decoction method concentrates a portion of the beer and aids in a process that creates nice, malty, sweet, caramelized characteristics: a revelation in dark beers at the time.
Because of the popularity of Pilsners and light sparkly beers, Dunkel styles pretty much took a back seat to them and became less frequently made. But Dunkels are seeing a resurgence in popularity, and we’ve decided to honor the style and bring ’em back big-time, baby, yeah.
München mag Dich (Munich Loves You): Munich Dunkel Lagers
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE: SAYING FUNNY WORDS. CRUNCHY BAGUETTES. MAHOGANY. COMPLEXITY AND RICHNESS. CARAMELS.
Munich Dunkels are the classic dark lagers and are made using a majority (and sometimes 100%) of the rich and complex Munich malt, which lends sweetish notes like caramel and bread crusts, nuts and cocoa. For the most part, Munich Dunkels are not intense or bitter beers and usually ring in between 4.5% and 6% ABV. They should be approachable, comfortable, and medium bodied. Because these beers are not cloying or overpowering, they are great steps in acclimating you to the truth that dark beers are not bitter or heavy. (Yes, we said it again.) In fact, this beer style should have none of the big burnt, super-smoky, or bitter flavors that its darker cousins Porters and Stouts have. Lest you think that this style might be too sweet for your liking, there is usually a nice hop presence in these styles that isn’t necessarily bitter but provides a clean, not too astringent finish to the sweetness. Sound good? Try some of these rad Dunkels:
AYINGER ALTBAIRISCH DUNKEL: Brauerei Aying, Aying, Germany. Amazing balance, clean, toasty. A classic representation from one of the best breweries in the world. 5% ABV.
LEINENKUGEL’S CREAMY DARK: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. A great American version of the Bavarian classic. Smooth and rich; nutty with hints of chocolate. 4.9% ABV.
NEGRA MODELO: Grupo Modelo, Mexico City, Mexico. This Mexican version of a Munich Dunkel is pretty darn good. Caramel and brown sugar with a clean finish. 4% ABV.
May the Schwarzbier with You
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE: THE COUNTERINTUITIVE. HINTS OF SULFUR AND SMOKE. ASPHALT NOTES IN WINE. COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE. AN UNEXPECTEDLY LIGHT BODY.
Schwarzbier (SHVARTS BEER) means “black beer” in German. Upon hearing that, many beer drinkers head for the hills, thinking that a black beer must be stronger and bigger than even the most imperial of Stouts. As a matter of fact, Schwarzbier is a lager that is actually much lighter bodied and much less intense than even typical Porters and Stouts.
Traditionally brewed in Saxony and the surrounding areas in what is now eastern Germany, Schwarzbier is becoming very popular among craft brewers and drinkers alike. Using chocolate, caramel, and Munich malts, Schwarzbiers are usually opaque, super-dark beers that can range from auburn to an ebony tone. Clean, light- to medium-bodied beers with typical flavors of coffee, chocolate, and licorice and just a waft of smoke, Schwarzbiers can range in intensity and can sometimes be so surprisingly light-bodied that they are referred to as Black Pils. The hops used in this beer style help create roasted and toasty notes with a medium dryness that lingers at the finish, sometimes with a nice sweetness. Drink these Black Lagers so the Schwarzbier can be with you:
SAMUEL ADAMS BLACK LAGER: Boston Beer Company, Boston, Massachusetts. A little bit sweeter than your typical Sam Adams beer, with notes of caramel and singed grain. 4.9% ABV.
SPRECHER BLACK BAVARIAN: Sprecher Brewery, Glendale, Wisconsin. Aromas of coffee, caramel, and chocolate. Smooth and complex. 5.86% ABV.
KÖSTRITZER SCHWARZBIER: Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei, Bad Köstritz, Germany. Light bodied, crisp, and clean, with just a touch of coffee and a waft of smoke. 4.8% ABV.
DEATH & TAXES: Moonlight Brewing Company, Fulton, California. Chocolate truffles and espresso with nice spicy hops. Great balance and truly delicious. 4.2% ABV.
Word to the Weizen: Dunkelweizen
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE: YOUR NANA’S FAMOUS BANANA BREAD. CLOUDS IN YOUR COFFEE. A LIFE LESS ORDINARY. SKOR BARS.
Another famous substyle of the Dunkel dynasty is the delicious Dunkelweizen, which translated from German means “dark wheat.” And, you guessed it: this beer is a style that, like a Hefeweizen, uses a substantial amount of wheat as part of its malt profile. Unlike a Hefeweizen, however, a Dunkelweizen also uses chocolate, caramel, and Munich and several other tasty darker malts that give this beer a coffee, toffee-like quality. However, the Dunkel version Weizen also uses the yeast styled for banana and clovey Hefes. So you end up with flavors of delicious banana nut bread or a delectable bananas Foster. The hops in this style of beer are present in their spiciness more than their bitterness or dryness. Get a load of these tasty Dunkelweissens:
WEIHENSTEPHANER HEFEWEISSBIER DUNKEL: Brauerei Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany. Fairly light bodied for a Dunkelweizen, big banana in the nose but mild on the palate; spicy and fruity. 5.3% ABV.
CRAFTSMAN DUNKELWEISSE: Craftsman Brewing Company, Pasadena, California. Dark sugar and molasses and banana. Classic flavors from a great American brewery. 5.8 ABV.
NATIVITÉ ROUSSE: Dieu du Ciel!, Montreal, Canada. Focused on the spice versus the banana. A red Dunkelweizen; lightly roasted wheat with a touch of clove. 5% ABV.
Note: Dunkel Lagers and Dunkelweizen beers should not be confused with a style of beer that exists in some parts of Germany called Dunkel-bier, which does indeed taste sweet and malty but has no alcohol (The Horror!).
I Wanna Bock with You: Bock Beers
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE: GETTING KICKED IN THE HEAD. GOATS. FREEZING THINGS. TOFFEE AND CHOCOLATE. FULL-BODIED RICHNESS. THE ZODIAC.
Like much of the beer history in the world, the origin of the name of this beer style, Bock, is a point of contention. One theory is that the style got its name vaguely from the city in which it was invented, Ein beck, Germany. Others think that the moniker was given because this beer style was traditionally brewed in winter months during the sign of Capricorn, whose zodiac
symbol is the goat. “Billy goat” in German translates to Geißbock or Ziegenbock, and many Bock beer brewers have even taken the goat (which is also a customarily satanic symbol) as a mascot for their beer. Personally, we like the theory that the name was based on the German phrase einen bock schießen, which means “to commit a blunder” or “to pull a boner.” (Look it up!) Regardless, it’s true that if you drink too much of these strong beers, you might end up feeling like you got kicked in the head by a goat the next morning.
The Bock, or Bockbier, style was traditionally a seasonal beer, sometimes brewed in the winter and consumed in the spring during Lent and Easter, and other times brewed for the winter holidays. Today, Bock is pretty much available year-round. Bockbiers were beers of celebration, meant to be consumed after toasts of better days to come. Most Bocks are bigger and stronger than most lagers. They range in color from dark copper to auburn to deep chestnut, and have a rich mouthfeel, bold malty characteristics, and a restrained hop presence. They usually come in at 6.6% to 7.5% ABV, although some are much higher. Now, even though these beers have robust flavors and high alcohol content, Bockbiers and most of the substyles of Bock (with the exception of Weizenbock) are lagers! What? Are you still thinking that lagers are light in color, body, and alcohol? Not so, young Padawan. These beers are bottom fermented over a long period of time and lagered for months in cold temperatures, which mellows the flavors and creates a smooth-drinking, well balanced brew.
Some of our favorite beers are Bockbiers, and there are several different substyles of this masterful brew. There is Weizenbock, which as you know by now means “strong wheat”; it breaks from Bock tradition and is an ale rather than a lager. This style is usually a bigger, fuller-bodied Dunkelweizen, with many of the same characteristics of bold bananas and cloves. Dopplebocks, or Double Bocks, are even stronger Bock beers. Not literally double the strength, these lagers are deliciously strong with dark fruit, roasted chocolate qualities, a lush sweetness, and a heat in the finish due to the 6% to 9% ABV range. As an homage to the first beer made in the style, Paulaner Salvator, many Dopplebocks are sometimes named using the suffix “-ator,” like Captivator, Celebrator, Decimator, and Detonator.
On the other end of the Bock spectrum is the style called Maibock, which refers to the month of May and is a style that is traditionally brewed for spring holiday celebrations. Another very similar and sometimes interchangeable style is Helles Bock (or Heller Bock), which means (as you know from Chapter 3) “pale.” Both Maibocks and Helles Bocks tend to be lighter in color and have more assertive hop aromatics and bitterness than other Bock beers. However, the lighter color doesn’t mean that these beers are any lighter in alcohol content. In fact, in addition to the hoppiness, Maibocks and Helles Bocks also have a noticeable maltiness, viscosity, and depth.
The beer world is full of happy accidents, and one of these ended up creating a delicious style of Bock beer called Eisbock. As the story goes, a German barkeep or a Bavarian brewer (depending on who is telling the story) left casks of Bockbier outside in the winter, and they partially froze. Not wanting to throw the beer away, the ice in it was discarded and the beer was tasted. What they discovered was a concentrated, fractionally distilled, strong, and delicious brew that they called an ice beer, or Eisbock. Now, this style of ice beer is not to be confused with the mass-produced American style of ice beer, which is usually light in alcohol, color, and body. Eisbock is dark, malty, and hearty with a significant alcohol content. Get kicked in the head with some of our favorite Bock beers:
SHINER BOCK: Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, Texas. This one is a heart pick. Full-flavored, deep-amber-colored beer, with an inviting smooth taste without excessive bitterness. 4.4% ABV.
SCHNEIDER AVENTINUS WEIZEN EISBOCK: G. Schneider & Sohn, Kelheim, Germany. Full-bodied, with big roasted bananas and clove on the nose, and caramel, nutty, woody notes on the finish. 8.2% ABV.
AYINGER CELEBRATOR DOPPELBOCK: Brauerei Aying, Aying, Germany. Dark and rich, with complex fruitiness and roasty, toasty malt. Full-bodied with a semidry smoky finish. 6.7% ABV.
KULMBACHER EISBOCK: Kulmbacher Brauerei, Kulmbach, Germany. Concentrated malt sweetness but exceptionally clean tasting. A deceptive 9.2% ABV.
SIERRA NEVADA PALE BOCK (MAIBOCK/HELLES BOCK): Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California. Famous for its Pale Ale, this brewery produces other great beers, including this bready, rich, and assertive Helles Bock. 6.5% ABV.
The Darker the Berry: Beers with Some Deep Color
Some people think darker beers are a black hole into which they don’t want to fall. They say they are too heavy, too strong, or too much for their palate to handle. Okay, well, how do you like the sound of this: chocolate, espresso, cinnamon, tobacco, licorice, tar. Sounds like a perfect deep red wine, a nuanced cigar, an haute chocolate bar from Italy, but in fact, it is the darker side of beer. On the flip side, there are those of you who crave a deep dark mass of ale in a glass. Those who seek it out for the same reasons others avoid it, wanting to look tough, drinking dark brew as a dare to anyone who may question your edge. But you don’t have to have the need to prove anything to drink dark beer. And though you have all heard tales of Porters and Stouts consisting of an entire meal of calories or those with a high alcohol content, know that this is not true of all Porters and Stouts.
You have probably tried at least one Stout, if not a Porter. It is a well-advertised style owing to one well-known brew: Guinness. Yes, this is the star of Stouts, the king of the Irish, the creamy ale. We acknowledge the devout following of this classic beer and are humbled by its history, but we would like to introduce a little variety. If you are one of the thousands who crave the chocolate milkshake flavors in this beer, there is a whole world of dark-malt-based beer to try.
A Broad Definition: Porter and Stout
Porters and Stouts are similar, if not the same. Porters were named such in the 18th century due to their popularity among the river porters of London. They emerged as an attempt to copy a common practice of mixing several ales, like Mild Ale and Brown Ale. These combinations were called entire and were unique to each pub. Porter became the most popular beer in England, Ireland, and America for a time. This lasted until Prohibition and war made brewing various styles impossible. They are again popular today, especially among American craft brewers, but are still fairly rare in England.
PORTER
Porter is made from dark roasted malts, though its flavors vary rather widely. The stronger versions were often called Strong Porter, Extra Porter, Double Porter, and Stout Porter. In fact, Guinness started out as Guinness Porter. The name Stout would end up on its own later when the Porter designation would be dropped for some ales, similar to the way that Scotch whisky is generally called just Scotch. This would lead us to believe that a Stout is in fact a stronger version of a Porter. Although arguably true, this is not always the case—especially today, when the terms are pretty much interchangeable. It is actually up to the brewer to pick which name to use for his or her beer within this range of style. This is ripe for debate, of course, and if you are a beer-geek, you will go through many pints of Porter discussing this issue with brewers; if you are newer to the beer world, you’ll think those beer-geeks are losers and will go about your merry drinking way.
Because Porters have a wide range of flavor (like Stouts), they leave room for the brewer to add notes of coffee or chocolate; some brewers even age the beer in whisky barrels. Porters can range from 5% to 9% ABV, depending on the brewer’s desire. Their hop bite is hugely varied as well. Their common trait is the featured flavors of the dark roasted malt, but not much else.
Porters generally fall under three substyles. First is Brown Porter, a fairly mild British style that is low in bitterness, with a chocolate, nutty, toffee flavor. Brown Porters tend to stay away from any burnt ash flavors and will generally be lower in alcohol. Another is Robust Porter. This style can also have some chocolaty toffee notes but will boast a burnt flavor. Robust Porters may or may
not be bitter and can vary in ABV, though they’re typically higher than Brown Porters. And finally, there is Baltic Porter, which is a complex Porter originating in the countries from the Baltic Sea region. Baltic Porters tend to be high in alcohol, anywhere from 5% to 9.5%, and thus have a pronounced warmth in the mouth from the alcohol. They are usually brewed with lager yeast. If one is made with ale yeast, the beer is then fermented at cold temperatures, making this a sort of hybrid beer. These Porters can have flavors of dried fruit, licorice, coffee, and spicy hops. They are typically less burnt in the mouth than Robust Porters and are much more complex than Browns. Dive into these Porters:
BLACK BUTTE PORTER: Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon. Chocolaty with notes of burnt sugar, nice dose of hops, complex, and well balanced. 5.2% ABV.
GREAT LAKES EDMUND FITZGERALD PORTER: Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Roasty chocolate and bitter coffee, bold hops. 5.8% ABV.
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