How To Brew Dunkles Weissbier: Velvety Shadows in this Bavarian Dark Delight Beer

Dunkles Weissbier is a grainy, bready flavored beer. Dunkle is German for “dark”. There are slight caramel notes along with toasty, bread crust like melanoidin character that the Munich malt imparts on a beer.

Although it has a nice rich color, it does not contain any roasted flavors or aromas.

The hop character is pretty much non-existent. It contains an even balance between bittering and sweetness.

The Shifting of Rights

The Degenberger family originally had exclusive rights to brew Weizenbiers (which is the name of the larger category of German wheat beers). These exclusive rights are congruent to patents in today’s world.

This right or privilege, as the Germans would see it, was then passed on to the Bavarian Dukes. In 1589, Bavarian Duke Maximillian I built the “Hofbräuhaus am Platzl,” which is the current location of the Ducal Weissbier brewery.

The Beer of the People

Due in large part to the improvements of barley malt beers in the 1700s, Weizenbiers’ popularity declined. George Schneider used his own brewery as leverage to release the Weissbier rights to the public.

By 1872, Weizenbiers could be brewed by anyone and the government no longer controlled the production of the beer. These beers were no longer under control of the royals. Weizenbiers popularity rose following World War II. Weizenbiers account for a significant amount of beer sold in Bavaria and Germany overall.

Style Profile for Dunkles Weissbier

Appearance

Color is light copper to mahogany brown. An extremely thick, long lasting off-white colored head is common for the style. Due to the high protein content, this beer will not be clear.

Aroma

Low to moderately strong banana esters and clove phenols. Best examples are balanced and fairly prominent. Also, a very light to moderate vanilla character and/or faint bubblegum accentuate the banana flavor.

Bready, doughy grain flavor, along with a rich caramel flavor. Malty richness can be low to medium-high. Roast character is inappropriate. Hop aroma is low to none. Dry finish is also expected.

Mouthfeel

Medium-light to medium full bodied beer. The texture of the wheat and the yeast in suspension causes the sensation of fluffy, creamy. High carbonation makes the beer rather effervescent.

Taste

Very similar to the aroma. Low to moderately strong banana and clove flavor. Faint notes of bubblegum and vanilla may also present itself.

The wheat is bready, doughy, and grainy with a rich caramel toast or bread crust due to caramel malts. Low to no hop flavor with a bitterness that is very low as well. Well-rounded with a dry finish.

Food Pairing

A Dunkles Weissbier can be paired well with German dishes such as pork or sausage. Also pairs well with roasted chicken. The clove phenols also play well with ham.

Dunkles Weissbier also works well with desserts. Banana Cream Pie or Banana Pudding to name a few.

Tips for Brewing your own Dunkles Weissbier

Grain

Thanks to German brewing traditions, at least 50% of the grain bill must be wheat. Some versions of the beer are 70% wheat. The remainder of the grist is usually Munich, Vienna, and Pilsner malts.

A small amount of caramel malt (5-10%) adds some color and hints of caramel flavor. Caramunich is traditionally used.

The trick is to use the caramel malts sparingly so not to overpower the beer with caramel aroma and flavor. A small amount of Carafa is also a good way to achieve the desired color for this style. Carafa is a huskless, roasted malt. The lack of a husk means less bitter roasted flavor.

Hops

German variety of hops is prudent. Hallertau, Saaz, Tettnenger, Spalt, and Perle are all options. The majority of the hopping is done at the 60 minute mark. Aroma and flavoring hops are minimal if at all; usually under a half ounce for a five gallon batch.

Mash

Historically, like most weizen-type beers, dunkelweizen should have been decoction mashed. While a decoction mash might induce more Maillard reactions, the rich malt flavors provided by today’s malts, specifically Munich and Pilsner malts are more than adequate.

A single infusion or step mash works well too. Dunkelweizen has a medium-light to medium-full body. Target a mash temperature range of 152 to 156 °F (67 to 69 °C).

If you are making a lower gravity beer, use the higher end of this temperature range to leave the beer with a bit more body. If you are making a bigger beer, use the lower end of the range to avoid being too full of a body, which can limit the beer’s drinkability.

It would be helpful to use rice hulls with such a large amount of wheat malt in the grist.

Yeast

• WYeast 3056 Bavarian Wheat Blend – subtle German style wheat beer with complex yet balanced esters and phenolics. 73-77% attenuation 64°F – 74°F(17°C – 23°C) range
• WYeast 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen – most popular German wheat strain. You can manipulate the ester and phenols in this beer with temperature and pitching rates 73-77% attenuation 64°F – 75°F(17°C – 24°C) range
• WYeast 3333 German Wheat – Delicate balance of banana esters and clove phenols. Once again manipulation can be achieved; the same as 3068. 70-76% attenuation 63°F – 75°F(17°C – 24°C) range
• White Labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale Yeast – Banana forward but does contain some hints of clove. 72-76% attenuation 68°F – 72°F(20°C – 22°C) range
• White Labs WLP351 Bavarian Weizen Yeast – Very clove forward type yeast.

75-82% attenuation 66°F – 70°F(18°C – 21°C) range

Fermentation

Fermentation temperature of 62 °F (17 °C) can really do this beer wonders. At this restrained temperature, the flavors are balanced out and the bad flavors are held in check,

Dunkles Weissbier By the Numbers

• Color Range: 10 – 18 SRM
• Original Gravity: 1.044 – 1.056 OG
• Final Gravity: 1.010 – 1.014 FG
• IBU Range: 10 – 18
• ABV Range: 4.3 – 5.6%

Dunkles Weissbier Recipe

Grain

• 53% 6 lbs Wheat Malt
• 9% 1 lb Pilsner; Floor Malted Bohemian
• 13% 1 lb 8 ozs Vienna Malt
• 9% 1 lb Caramunch II
• 9% 1 lb Pilsner; German
• 2% 4 oz Carafa II
• 5% 8 oz Rice Hulls

Hops

• 0.50 oz Perle Pellets – Boil 60.0 min

Yeast

• 1.0 pkg Hefeweizen Ale White Labs WLP300

Directions

1. Mash at 152°F (66°C) for 60 mins
2. Boil for 60 mins

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Dunkle mean and how is it related to Dunkles Weissbier?

“Dunkle” is the German word for dark, denoting the color and perhaps the flavor profile of the beer. In the context of Dunkles Weissbier, it refers to a dark wheat beer.

This particular type of beer combines the characteristics of a traditional German Weissbier (white beer) with a darker malt which imparts a rich color and a slightly different flavor profile compared to its lighter counterparts.

What distinguishes Dunkel Weissbier from Dunkelweizen?

Dunkel Weissbier and Dunkelweizen are essentially two terms for the same style of beer, a dark wheat beer from Germany.

The naming can be regional or based on traditional nomenclature but they both refer to a wheat beer brewed with darker malts resulting in a deep color and a maltier flavor compared to a traditional pale wheat beer.

In brewing Dunkles Weissbier, how does the recipe adapt traditional Weissbier methods?

The Dunkles Weissbier recipe adapts the traditional Weissbier brewing methods by incorporating darker malts into the grain bill. This not only imparts a darker color but also introduces a maltier, somewhat roasted flavor to the beer.

The use of specific yeast strains and the fermentation process remains largely similar, aiming to achieve the characteristic wheat beer profile with a unique dark malt twist.

Between Dunkelweizen and Dunkel, is there a notable difference in brewing technique or flavor profile?

While Dunkelweizen refers to a dark wheat beer, Dunkel or Dunkel Bier refers to a dark lager or ale that’s not necessarily brewed with a significant amount of wheat.

The brewing technique for Dunkel may not emphasize the use of wheat and may have a different yeast and fermentation profile compared to Dunkelweizen.

This results in a different flavor and aromatic profile, where Dunkel may lack the banana and clove notes typically associated with wheat beers like Dunkelweizen.

Is there a significant difference in the taste between a Dunkles Weissbier and a standard Weissbier?

Yes, a Dunkles Weissbier will typically have a more robust malt flavor with notes of caramel, chocolate, or even roasted flavors depending on the specific dark malts used.

On the other hand, a standard Weissbier will have a lighter, more refreshing profile with a noticeable yeast character often described as fruity (banana) and spicy (clove).

The dark malts in Dunkles Weissbier add complexity and a deeper color to the beer, making it a more full-bodied and richer alternative to a standard Weissbier.