Review of Dinkel Acker Dark
Posted By Ken Friday, 15 May 2009 20:27
This is number 3 of 4 in the selections my boss brought me last Saturday night to try. This one we did not crack at the party, and I think he wanted them out of his fridge, so I was the lucky recipient. Dinkel Acker is made by Spaten, which you might remember I tore their Optimator up and down the wall awhile ago. Read on to see if this one was good, or if it kept the tarnished streak for this brewer going.
Ken's Review
Taste: B+ Dinkel Acker Dark was surprising in that the taste is decently strong, but brings together an odd mix of both roasted flavor with a hint of sweetness to it. Not many beers can pull off a mix of different taste levels, but this one succeeds nicely. It took me a few swigs to get the full package out of this beer, but it is well worth going on with even if the first taste doesn't grab you right away. Very nice on this front.
Packaging: B This comes in a dark green bottle and has brown labels that read "Dinkel Acker" across the top, "DARK" at the bottom in smaller red letters, and in the center it reads "Brewed with all natural ingredients in strict accordance to the German purity law of 1516". I like it!
Value: ?? Not entirely sure on the price of this stuff. But I'm going to guesstimate that this will run a little pricey based on it being an Import, and because it is a stronger tasting beer. I know Optimator isn't necessarily "cheap", so I don't expect this would be either.
Drunkeness: B+ The Dark from Dinkel Acker comes in at a nice 5.5% alcohol content, which seems a little low for a dark beer of this stature. I kind of expected it to be higher, but I'm kind of glad it isn't because more alcohol would have taken away from the taste. It's decent enough to give you a good buzz after several swigs, but definitely not one I would want to get wasted on.
Overall: B+ I was quite impressed with this beer. The mix of tastes and the richness of this beer was just enough to keep you wanting more. As I said, I wouldn't want to spend a night getting slammed on this stuff, because I'm sure the day after would be pure hell, but it is one that I'm sure I would enjoy over a nice dinner or socializing with someone I haven't seen in awhile. If you are a fan of dark beers, definitely give this one a try.