Hey everyone, so I have been on a beer brewing journey of late, this is my first batch of dark beer or dunkel. To be honest the first full grain beer I made tasted like cider haha, but continue trying we shall..
I will pretty much experiment with all beer types on last brew day I decided to try what is commonly known as Munich Dunkel..
Dunkel, or Dunkles, is a word used for several types of dark German lager. Dunkel is the German word meaning dark, and dunkel beers typically range in color from amber to dark reddish brown. They are characterized by their smooth malty flavor.[1] In informal terms, such as when ordering at a bar, "dunkel" is likely to mean whatever dark beer the bar has on tap, or sells most of; in much of north and western Germany, especially near Düsseldorf, this may be Altbier.
In Bavaria, Dunkel, along with helles, is a traditional style brewed in Munich and popular throughout Bavaria. With alcohol concentrations of 4.5% to 6% by volume, dunkels are weaker than Doppelbocks, another traditional dark Bavarian beer. Dunkels are produced using Munich malts which give the Dunkel its color. Other malts or flavors may also be added.
Many dunkels have a distinctive malty flavor that comes from a special brewing technique called decoction mashing. Most commonly, dunkel beers are dark lagers, but the term is also used to refer to dark wheat beers such as Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel. Dunkel weizen is another term used to refer to dark wheat beers, which are fruity and sweet with more dark, roasted malts than their lighter counterpart, the hefeweizen. More here as per wikipedia.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkel
This was the last batch I attempted https://hive.blog/beer/@craigcryptoking/brewing-beer-at-home-qg0w5c Lord Nelson IPA, note the marked lighter colour!
What did I do differently this time around? Naurally the recipe was very different, but after the boil I strained the wort (warm unfermented beer) through a strainer into the fermentation tank. Another difference this time around this beer needs a fermentation temperature of 12 degrees and not 18 degrees. I simply put into a cooler box and daily I add ice. Works a dream!
This beer if all goes according to plan is a 'premium beer' and takes would you believe 7 weeks to ferment and condition, 6 weeks to go and we shall have a sneaky taste, or two :P
Be sure to stay tuned for more of my epic brewing adventures!
Love and light, be blessed always.
Cheer$;)