Style Of The Week 22/8/07 - Munich Dunkel

[Stuster]

It's still lager season so I thought we could talk about a darker lager style, Munich Dunkel, BJCP 4B.

A couple of links
All about beer article
German Beer Institute spiel


So what are your experiences with this style? Grains? Hops? Which yeast to use? Any dry yeast that will work with this style? Can this style be done by partial mashers? Kits and bits? Any commercial examples that you can recommend that are available in Australia?

Tell us all you know so we can make great beer. :chug:

4B. Munich Dunkel

Aroma: Rich, Munich malt sweetness, like bread crusts (and sometimes toast.) Hints of chocolate, nuts, caramel, and/or toffee are also acceptable. No fruity esters or diacetyl should be detected, but a slight noble hop aroma is acceptable.

Appearance: Deep copper to dark brown, often with a red or garnet tint. Creamy, light to medium tan head. Usually clear, although murky unfiltered versions exist.

Flavor: Dominated by the rich and complex flavor of Munich malt, usually with melanoidins reminiscent of bread crusts. The taste can be moderately sweet, although it should not be overwhelming or cloying. Hints of caramel, chocolate, toast or nuttiness may be present in the background. Burnt or bitter flavors from roasted malts are inappropriate, as are pronounced caramel flavors from crystal malt. Hop bitterness is moderately low but perceptible, with the balance tipped firmly towards maltiness. Noble hop flavor is low to none. Aftertaste remains malty, although the hop bitterness may become more apparent in the medium-dry finish. Clean lager character with no fruity esters or diacetyl.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body, providing a firm and dextrinous mouthfeel without being heavy or cloying. Moderate carbonation. May have a light astringency and a slight alcohol warming.

Overall Impression: Characterized by depth and complexity of Munich malt and the accompanying melanoidins. Rich Munich flavors, but not as intense as a bock or as roasted as a schwarzbier.

History: The classic brown lager style of Munich which developed as a darker, malt-accented beer in part because of the moderately carbonate water.

Comments: Unfiltered versions from Germany can taste like liquid bread, with a yeasty, earthy richness not found in exported filtered dunkels.

Ingredients: Grist is primarily made up of German Munich malt (up to 100% in some cases) with the remainder German Pilsner malt. Very small amounts of crystal malt can add dextrins and color but should not introduce excessive sweetness. Very slight additions of roasted malts (such as Carafa or chocolate) may be used to improve color but should not add any flavor. Noble German hop varieties and German lager yeast strains should be used. Moderately carbonate water. Often decoction mashed to enhance the malt flavors and create the depth of color.
Vital Statistics:
OG FG IBUs SRM ABV
1.048 - 1.056 1.010 - 1.016 18 - 28 14 - 28 4.5 - 5.6%

Commercial Examples: Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel, Hacker-Pschorr Alt Munich Dark, Paulaner Alt Mnchner Dunkel, Weltenburger Kloster Barock-Dunkel, Penn Dark Lager, Capital Munich Dark, Harpoon Munich-type Dark Beer, Gordon Biersch Dunkels, Dinkel Acker Dark

 

[jayse]

I think those guidelines almost say everything you need to know. That and tasting a few prime examples and your away.

A good chunk of weyermann munich II, around 5% weyermann caramunch II or a mix of different crystal and maybe even a tad of cararoma works pretty nicely.
Enough choc or whatever for the colour your after.

You could almost use any hop for the required bitterness but I've just stuck to hallertau.
I have used wyeast bavarian lager a couple times and once 34/70 both worked nicely, I'am sure theres even better yeasts again for this style maybe.

Lovely rich, complex munich malt driven beer with a little toasted biscuit edges and some caramel, I think a little raisen crystal malt like flavour doesn't go astray and helps with the complexity, but as the guidelines say they can't be overdone.

Even though its a medium to medium full bodied beer I wouldn't mash to high with all that munich malt.

Pretty good guidelines in the BJCP there making me thirsty for a few pints of dunkel right now.
German club in five anyone?


Jayse

 

[Barry]

Good Day
One of my favorite styles. Always make two to three batches each winter. The basic recipe is at
oz.craftbrewer.org/Recipes/
Make it using the same recipe each time with only a few variations usually due to malt availability.
I received an email last week from a brewer who used the recipe and won the gold medal at the Northern England Home Brewing Competition held in Leeds. Made me very happy but I can't promise such results to others who use it.
Also I love the San Fran yeast for any malty lager. A very easy, forgiving yeast to use. :beer:

 

[Maxt]

I had a stack of Munich 2 and left over hops that I needed to use up, so this was my first attempt (still have some in the keg now). Absolutely delicious

Recipe: Munich Dunklebastard
Brewer: matt
Asst Brewer:
Style: Munich Dunkel
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 44.00 L
Boil Size: 60.31 L
Estimated Color: 34.4 EBC
Estimated IBU: 45.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.40 kg Munich II (Weyermann) (16.7 EBC) Grain 60.16 %
4.20 kg Pilsner (Weyermann) (3.3 EBC) Grain 34.15 %
0.40 kg Munich, Dark (Joe White) (29.6 EBC) Grain 3.25 %
0.30 kg Chocolate Malt (Joe White) (750.6 EBC) Grain 2.44 %
40.00 gm Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 18.6 IBU
20.00 gm Pearle [8.00 %] (60 min) Hops 8.7 IBU
40.00 gm Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [3.00 %] (30 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
40.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (30 min) Hops 7.6 IBU
60.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (10 min) Hops 5.4 IBU
1 Pkgs Southern German Lager (White Labs #WLP838) Yeast-La

 

[Muggus]

Mmmmm I like Dunkels, only tried a couple of different ones in my time but all have been quite nice.
Attempted to brew a KK one myself last year, but it turned out too dry and not enough accentuation on the dark malts.

 

[Duff]

Brewing this tomorrow which is pretty much based on Zainasheff & Palmer's receipe. Don't have any Carafa or Choc, so subbed CaraMunich II.

Anyone else tried the Munich Dunkel receipe in Brewing Classic Styles?

Cheers.

----------

08-12 Munich Dunkel

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 40.00 Wort Size (L): 40.00
Total Grain (kg): 9.20
Anticipated OG: 1.054 Plato: 13.45
Anticipated SRM: 13.4
Anticipated IBU: 22.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
95.1 8.75 kg. JWM Light Munich Australia 1.038 10
4.9 0.45 kg. Weyermann Caramunich II Germany 1.035 63

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
80.00 g. Hallertauer Mittelfruh Plug 4.10 20.3 60 min.
15.00 g. Hallertauer Mittelfruh Plug 4.10 2.3 20 min.


Yeast
-----

DCL Yeast S-189 SafLager German Lager

 

[mika]

I'll preface this by saying, never brewed a Munich Dunkel, but it is on the list.
I do listen to Jamil's shows a fair bit though. He use the pale choc to get the toasty flavour into a beer and the Carafa is generally the carafa special to get the colour without any roastiness.
Subbing caramunich might not yield the desired results at least to my limited knowledge of the grain and style.

 

[wessmith]

Brewing this tomorrow which is pretty much based on Zainasheff & Palmer's receipe. Don't have any Carafa or Choc, so subbed CaraMunich II.

Anyone else tried the Munich Dunkel receipe in Brewing Classic Styles?

Cheers.

----------
Duff, Caramunich 2 is a crystal malt. You really need a roasted malt of some description like chocolate malt or even roasted malt/patent malt. Maybe even some roasted wheat malt just for a difference? Would give you a dryer roasted profile.

Wes

 

[newguy]

Duff,

I've brewed Dunkels before, but I've used 100% munich. Your recipe looks fine, but the flavouring hop addition may not be necessary as this style is straightforward malt driven. Your IBU level looks good too. It should be a good beer. Good luck with it.

 

[Duff]

I did think about Roast Wheat as I have some but thought it might throw the colour and flavour out. Even at 2% the EBC was over.

Unfortunately Gerard does not deliver to Port Douglas and the nearest HBS which carries specialities is about 2,000km away

Will get some Pale Chocloate sent up (never used it before) to try and see the flavour difference between the two. I was hoping that only 5% CaraMunich would not provide too much residual sweetness.

Cheers.

 

[Stuster]

I'd say go with the roast wheat, Duff. I did one a couple of years back and used Farbmalz (like Carafa basically) at only 1% and it turned out drinkable. It probably had a bit too much hopping in there so I'd say newguy is right that the flavour hop might not be necessary.

Gerard doesn't deliver here now either.

 

[kabooby]

I have a done a few beers now with JW munich but have never gone above the 50% mark as that is wahat it states for the grain profile. I have always finished the grain bill with some pils.
How do they turn out with 90-100% munich? I love a good malty lager

Kabooby

 

[kabooby]

This is the recipe I come up with the other day. Should I ditch the pils and use all munich?

Munich Dunkel

Type: All Grain
Date: 31/01/2008
Batch Size: 40.00 L
Brewer: Grant
Boil Size: 45.79 L Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90min Equipment: Grants Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) (17.7 EBC) Grain 45.45 %
3.10 kg Pilsner (Weyermann) (3.3 EBC) Grain 35.23 %
0.80 kg Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White) (3.5 EBC) Grain 9.09 %
0.40 kg Caramalt (Joe White) (49.3 EBC) Grain 4.55 %
0.30 kg Caraaroma (Weyermann) (350.7 EBC) Grain 3.41 %
0.10 kg Carafa Special III (Weyermann) (925.9 EBC) Grain 1.14 %
0.10 kg Roasted Barley (Joe White) (1398.7 EBC) Grain 1.14 %
35.00 gm Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 29.4 IBU
20.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (15 min) Hops 2.7 IBU
20.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.1 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs German Lager (White Labs #WLP830) Yeast-Lager



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.052 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.23 %
Bitterness: 33.1 IBU
Est Color: 41.1 EBC

Cheers

Kabooby

 

[Weizguy]

I have a done a few beers now with JW munich but have never gone above the 50% mark as that is wahat it states for the grain profile. I have always finished the grain bill with some pils.
How do they turn out with 90-100% munich? I love a good malty lager

Kabooby

Prob a bit too malty to be authentic...despite the BJCP guidelines. I have been reading recently re Altbiers and how they are best made without too much Munich malt. Mostly Munich malt will give U a Czech Dunkel, but U will have to change the hops and yeast. Great style, but!

U can make it as a Munich Dunkel and enjoy it, but it might be a little too much to expect in to be "within the style".

Les's 2 cense.

 

[newguy]

I have a done a few beers now with JW munich but have never gone above the 50% mark as that is wahat it states for the grain profile. I have always finished the grain bill with some pils.
How do they turn out with 90-100% munich? I love a good malty lager

I'm not familiar with JW munich malt. I've brewed 100% munich dunkels using munich malt from a couple of different maltsters, Gambrinus and Cargill. They always turn out great. I understand the point of view of some people that think that 100% munich will make it too malty for the style, but to be honest in order to stand out in a competition, it really doesn't hurt if your beer is a bit too malty when entered in a malty style. You'd expect to brew a traditional bock or a doppelbock with 100% munich (or nearly 100%). The major difference in flavour between a bock made with all munich malt and a dunkel made the same way is in the hopping rate (slightly higher for the dunkel) and in the gravity (lower for the dunkel). These two factors are enough to make the beer seem even less malty/less munich malt-like.

All I can tell you is that I've done it, I'll continue to do it, and it works fine for my tastes. The munich malt available to me is very cheap - only $35 per 50 kg sack. My standard pale 2-row base malt is only $22. Since it's only a little more expensive than the base malt, my philosophy is "it's cheap, it tastes good, use it."

For what it's worth, I had a co-worker a few years back who was from Munich and he sampled my dunkel. He thought it compared very favourably to the dunkels he had sampled back in Germany. I guess I should also mention that the munich malt I use is a light munich, definitely not dark munich. I guess that since it's light I can get away with using up to 100% in a dunkel. I wouldn't be able to do that if it was dark.

 

[mika]

I guess that since it's light I can get away with using up to 100% in a dunkel.

How light ? EBC, SRM, Lovibond ?

JW = Joe White. Local Australian Maltster, not suprised you haven't heard of it on the international scale, it's cheap for a reason.

Edit: Damn keys on the board too close together.

 

[newguy]

How light ? EBC, SRM, Lovibond ?

JW = Joe White. Local Australian Maltster, not suprised you haven't heard of it on the international scale, it's cheap for a reason.

Edit: Damn keys on the board too close together.

I've lost the original email with the malt analysis from the malt distributor, but I managed to find the colour of Cargill Munich here. 8-11 degrees Lovibond.

 

[Duff]

How light ? EBC, SRM, Lovibond ?

JW = Joe White. Local Australian Maltster, not suprised you haven't heard of it on the international scale, it's cheap for a reason.

Edit: Damn keys on the board too close together.

Mika,

It's a bit of a dodgy picture, but this beer was 100% JW Light Munich which was bittered and flavoured with Centennial and Cascade. Good colour, 90 minute boil.

My Dunkel is fermenting ATM.

Cheers.

 

[Thommo]

Save some of that one Duff, I'm flying up to Port Douglas on Monday!!!!! Looks a treat.

 

[Duff]

Brewday with The Bunyip next weekend B)

Cheers.