When I Hear "Tall, Dark, and Handsome", I Think Penn Dark Lager
Written: May 02 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Smooth and malty with a bit of nutty toast
Cons: I can't get this back home!
The Bottom Line: Drinking a Penn Dark is like sitting down in a Bavarian beer garden with the finest dunkles a German biermeister can make! Gemutlichkeit in a glass!
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Penn Dark Lager Beer |
Sitting on my bar stool at Pennsylvania Brewing Company, I can't help but think that I could be one very happy beer drinker if I lived in Pittsburgh. I wonder if the owners would consider charging me monthly rent. I was thinking of following up the weizen that I reviewed yesterday with something like the Gold or the Pilsner, but I've always had a soft spot in my heart for a good dunkles, so I think I'll try the Penn Dark Lager next and see how it stacks up in my book. But first, let's take a look at what goes into a truly world-class dark lager...
What Makes a Dark Lager a Great Dunkles?
I really love the deep malt flavor of an authentic southern German dark lager beer. About a year ago I posted a long review that delved into the depths of the style and really explained just exactly what it is that makes these beers so darn tasty! The link to that treatise is at the bottom of this review, but here's the essence in a nutshell.
A truly great dark lager is a lithe, agile creature that's lean, mean, and totally balanced. It is a normal gravity beer (12 Plato, more or less) that is not overly sweet, but that manages to sing out the praises of slightly dark kilned Munich malt. A great dunkles is a creature of softness and gentle roast malt flavors. There might be hints of flavors that you could associate with chewy chocolate, but you definitely do not want it to be a flavor that's strongly cocoa or chocolate candy, like you might find in a dark beer brewed with lots of chocolate malt. Nor do you want a strong coffee component. The flavor of dark Munich malt is more svelte and sophisticated than that -- it is a lighter, gentler, more chewy flavor.
Colorwise, I look for a deep brown to light black (maybe 15 to 20 on the SRM scale). Hop wise, I look for about zip: I don't want a lot of hop flavor or aroma in a good dunkles (I'll save that treat for the pilsners and IPAs).
Now that we understand each other with respect to dark lagers, let's get down to brass rails and order up a tall glass of Penn Dark Lager, shall we?
A Beautiful Glass of Beer
Appearance:
A silky smooth, thick, white creamy head makes this beer look every bit as enticing as the freshest homemade pie with a dollop of whipped cream. I love the deep rich brown color (which I'd guess to be about 17 on the SRM scale). There are some beautiful ruby red flashes at the edges as I hold the beer up to the light, and I don't see so much as a spec of sediment or haze. A truly lovely beer to behold!
Aroma:
I smell soft malt here with a little bit of a caramel hint to it, or maybe just a bit of freshly toasted sweet bread. No hops and no off aromas. Very clean!
Flavor:
Flavor is always the most important aspect of a beer, especially with a dark lager. This beer strikes me as being incredibly well balanced. It is undeniably sweet, and undeniably malty, but it is also soft and gentle. There is no cloying sweetness, and no sharp hop bitterness. The malt tastes lightly chocolatey but with some of the soft biscuit like character that I often consider to be the hallmark of Munich malts.
According to the card on the bar, the beer is brewed to a gravity of 12.8 degrees Plato using Munich malts and 100 percent Hallertau hops. The hops are very subdued in the beer (fortunately), providing mostly balance. I get just a hint of peppery hop bitterness at the back of my throat after I swallow, but by far the impression is one of soft gently roasted Munich malt. A delicious beer! Truly delicious...
Verdict:
Unquestionably one of the finest dark lagers you can buy and a true testament to the quality and craftsmanship that American craft brewers are capable of achieving. I love the classic dunkles from Bavaria's best breweries, but I would pass over a cold Hacker-Pschoor or Ayinger any day for a freshly poured glass of Penn Dark Lager. It really is that good!
How does it stack up against other dunkles? Hmmm. I'd say as good as Germany's best, as good as DeGroen's Dunkles, better than Stoudts, better than Karl Strauss', and much better than Gordon Biersch's.
About Pennsylvania Brewing...
The Pennsylvania Brewing Company started in 1986 as a contract operation until opening their own brewery and pub in 1989. The brewery concentrates on German-style lager beers. The menu is heavily oriented towards German dishes (try the brats -- they're great!), the beers use German ingredients, and even the brewmaster was German-trained. Sounds like a tasty formula for tasty brews!
If you want to know more about the brewery's history and their brewing practices, see the review of Penn Weizen that I recently posted. The links are below.
Related Reviews:
About the Munich Dunkles Style...
http://www.epinions.com/content_1515298948
Penn Weizen
http://www.epinions.com/content_62758489732
DeGroens Dunkles
http://www.epinions.com/content_44393860740
Recommended:
Yes
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