Fast delivery
Get in as fast as 1 hour
It’s all local
Shop your favorites
Direct chat
Connect with shoppers
Dunkel Beers for Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to Dunkel lager
Dunkel, the German word for "dark," refers to various kinds of dark German lager. Dunkel lager ranges from amber to syrupy brown in color and has a smooth flavor of malt. Most of these dark lagers came from Munich and the surrounding state of Bavaria in Germany. Dunkel lager may have recently fallen behind newer beers with more flamboyant ingredients in terms of popularity, but it's by no means inferior. If you want to enjoy a solid beer that pairs well with food, Munchner Dunkel, as it is popularly known, is still a great option.
In Bavaria, the two most popular beers are Dunkel lager and Helles. Dunkels use Munich malt, from which they get their dark color. Their very sharp malty flavor is due to decoction mashing, the special brewing technique used in this type of beer.
Bavaria isn't the only place where umber-dark beers are brewed. A variety of dark lagers are available from elsewhere in Germany and Austria. One example is bock, which has a higher alcohol content, fuller body, and maltier flavor than Dunkel lager. Vienna-style lagers are often confused with Dunkel lager, as is Marzen, a German favorite served at the famous Oktoberfest. However, these lagers are more reddish in color, with slightly more hop character.
Although the term "dunkel beer" is also synonymous with dark lagers, that term is also used for dark wheat beers such as Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel. Also called Dunkelweizen, these dark wheat beers are typically fruity and sweet with darker roasted malts than you'd find in Hefeweizen beer, their lighter counterpart.
All about Dunkel lager
The German-style Dunkel is a bottom-fermented lager drink, offering balanced flavors of chocolate, caramel, and bread crust. The unique biscuit-like aroma of the chocolate-roasted malt in Dunkel lager comes from Munich malt. Although this is a malty beverage, it doesn't have a very sweet flavor. Instead, you will enjoy a unique flavor of sweet malt balanced by the bitterness of noble hops, a typical nuance of any German-style beer.
Most Dunkel lagers have a moderate body with a good mouth-feel. They have a dark copper to deep reddish-brown color, medium carbonation, and a smooth texture.
The vital statistics of Dunkel lager are as follows:
- IBU (International Bitterness Unit): 18-20
- SRM (Standard Reference Method): 14-28
- OG (Original Gravity): 1.048-1.056
- FG (Final Gravity): 1.010-1.016
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 4.5-5.6%
When you shop via Instacart, you can find a variety of Dunkel beers. Here are a few examples:
- Warsteiner Beer, German Dark Premium Dunkel
- Hoffbrau Beer, HofbrauDunkel
- Warsteiner Premium Dunkel German Dark Beer
- ErdingerDunkel
- SpatenDunkelMunchenDunkel Beer
- Beck's Dark Amber Lager
- WeitenburgerDunkel Lager
- Munich Dark GartenBrau Munich Dark Wisconsin Beer
- Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest German-Style Marzen Beer
Tips for choosing your beverage
All of the standard-strength dark beers from Bavaria are malty, but there are some differences. Helles is the palest, while Dunkel lager tends to be darker than amber. Both of these varieties have a balanced malty flavor. Meanwhile, Schwarzbier (black beer) is extra dark and roasty, with an almost burnt flavor. None of these beers are as strong (or as malty) as a bock or other fest-type beers. Keep these differences and your personal preferences in mind when selecting a German lager.
As with most German-style beers, Dunkel lager's roasted flavor of caramel, biscuits, toasts, or chocolate makes it a good candidate for food pairing. It goes especially well with grilled pork, barbecued meat delicacies, and grilled sausages. To elevate your eating experience, consider pairing your German lager with the exotic cuisine of Southeast Asia.
Dunkel Lager Near Me
Buy your favorite Dunkel Lager online with Instacart. Order Dunkel Lager from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about Dunkel lager
Dunkel means "dark" in German, but that doesn't mean Dunkel lager and Dunkelweizen are exactly the same. The latter is a wheat ale that looks similar to Dunkel lager, with a reddish-brown color. It displays a blend of characteristics associated with Dunkel lager and Hefeweizen. Dunkelweizen also comes in chocolate and other roasted flavors similar to Dunkel lager.
One possible answer to this could be that Dunkel lager and other beers are consumed undiluted. Other alcohols are often served as mixed drinks, in which case the alcohol may be diluted with water, juice, or soda.
As a general rule, the sweeter the beer, the more calories it has. A typical 1-liter bottle of lager contains 143 calories.
Order your favorite Dunkel lager via Instacart and get delivery the same day. Your shopper can have your items to you in as little as 2 hours!