Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

Before the small-brewery movement ever came to America it existed and flourished in Germany. If you’ve ever tasted German beer you know that it is some of the very finest brew in the world, yet a list of the highest-volume brewers in the world will seldom include one from Germany. The reason for this is that the Germans have long eschewed large, national breweries in favor of small, local ones. There are exceptions of course, like Konig, Beck and Warsteiner, but for the most part the traditional German notion of a brewer has been more along the lines of small craft producers the likes of Ayinger.

The Village of Aying, home of Ayinger beers, is just outside of Munich at the foot of the Bavarian Alps. The brewery itself was established in 1878 and has long since provided locals with many styles of delicious lagers and wheat beers. In the backyard of Munich’s famed brewers Lowenbrau, Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr and Augustiner, Ayinger has carved out a name for itself and a market with the locals, who take their beer very seriously.

Interestingly, though Ayinger’s beer caught the attention of Merchant du Vin Importer Charles Finkel and is now widely available in the United States, it is only sold in a small area surrounding the brewery in Germany. This adds something to the charm of the beer in my opinion, and I have always been very fond of Ayinger beers. Recently, I noticed a very fresh looking shipment being loaded on the shelves at my local Rhode Island beer retailer, so I picked up several bottles of each style.

Among my very favorite Ayinger beers is the delightful Altbairisch (ault-buy-rish) Dunkel,, or old Bavarian dark. This is a Munich Dunkel in style, a soft, malty German dark lager native to Munich. Much like the Munich Helles, a light golden brew that is also a local favorite, a Munich Dunkel will accent malt flavors much more so than hops, and is perhaps Bavaria’s response to the hoppy pilsners of Bohemia.

The beer is sold in attractive half-liter bottles for about $2.99 each, a real bargain for an authentic taste of Bavaria. The beer pours to a dark brown color with a huge, thick, creamy head formation and a soft, appetizing nutty-malt nose. The palate is smooth and creamy and very drinkable with hints of chocolate, more powerful suggestions of nutty, husky malt and traces of molasses. The finish is slightly sweet but not overly so. A truly fine example of a classic decocted German brew.

For those who are somewhat reluctant to sample a dark beer, I would suggest this one as a first step. It is not overpowering, but at the same time is very complex and flavorful. All the elements of the beer mingle together but none overpower. The result: a delightful beer, a world classic and a prime example of its style. I’d give this brew six-stars on Epinions five star scale. It’s that good.

An excellent companion to roast pork or game dishes, I enjoyed my bottle with a garden salad tossed in a cracked pepper parmesan dressing, fresh-baked bread warm from the oven, and finger-sized Nuernberger sausages with spicy German mustard.

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