289. Rivertown Dunkel

Our second beer from Rivertown Brewing Company, the newest brewery in Cincinnati, OH; we got a growler of this from the Party Source across the river in Newport, KY (I guess technically it is in Bellevue, KY, but whatever). Our last beer from RBC was Hop Bomber Pale Ale.

Dunkel has a rich malty sweet nose; it pours a cola/iced tea color with a minimal white head. The flavor starts with rich malty sweetness, and moves into an earthy breadiness; there are toffee and melanoidin flavors in the middle, and the finish is clean and lager-like with a hint of bitterness and bit of residual malt sweetness that lingers. Dunkel has a soft chewy mouthfeel; the carbonation is very minimal, but it works well with the beer. Clean and light bodied, with an enjoyable and complex malt profile—this beer does all the right things in the right places, accentuating both the lager and dunkel characteristics of the beer seamlessly. Nice job, Rivertown.

From the Rivertown website: “Our Dunkle Beer is a Munich style dark lager beer. It has a surprisingly light body with mild roasted flavor and caramel undertones. We use the freshest imported and Domestic barley, Noble hops, and natural water. Best served at 42ºF in a tall beer mug or stein.”

ABV: 5.0%

(4/15/2010)