Weisse Dark

Since 1417, a hundred years before the Reinheitsgebot was enacted, Hacker-Pschorr Brau has brewed beers of exceptional character and unsurpassed quality. The Weisse Dark is a beautifully crafted dunkelweizen, a style that continues to gain adherents. Redolent of pungent clove and sweet banana with a smidgen of cotton candy, the aroma proudly proclaims Bavarian wheat beer roots. A gentle, tangy wheat tartness drew high praise from Tom, who deemed the overall aroma “classical Bavarian weizen.” Rick enjoyed the finessed interplay of star anise and clove spiciness and tropical fruit notes, and picked up an intriguing “clotted cream” sweetness he felt lent an extra layer of complexity to the aroma. Weisse Dark fills the glass with a hazy, almost chunky brown, topped by a prodigious meringue-like ecru head. Dominated by rich banana and mangosteen, the flavor still throws around plenty of bready malt and tangy wheat notes, all underpinned by enticing, warming clove and pepper. Pete liked the “jungle fruit” notes of banana and mango, but felt the clove and pepper were a touch sharp and drying in the aftertaste. Underneath the swirling fruit and spice, Tim drew out a faint chocolate character that reminded him of “malted milk balls.” If you’re a fan of weissbier but have yet to venture into the world of dunkelweizen, Hacker-Pschorr’s Weisse Dark is a perfect starting point.