Dunkel

What is Dunkel?

Dunkel translates to "dark" in German. It mainly refers to various dark German lagers originating in Bavaria and Franconia.

Dunkel lager is characterized by a smooth malty taste, often accompanied by notes of nuts, toffee, freshly baked bread, chocolate, and even liquorice.

Origin Story

Dunkel lager originated in Bavaria at a time when primitive methods of drying malt (direct heat and high temperatures) lightly roasted the malt, giving the beer hues of mahogany, deep brown or sepia.

Dunkel can be considered the world’s first standardized lager style as its production was first regulated as early as 1516 by the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot).

For a long time, dunkel was the most common lager in both Bavaria and Franconia. Lighter-coloured lagers began to spread more widely only in the 19th century as rapid technological advancements made their production easier.

 Today, beers labelled ‘dunkel’ are produced in many countries, but it remains most popular in Germany. When ordering from a bar in Germany, dunkel can refer to any dark lager.