Beer of the Weekend #348: Madhaus Dunkelweizen

As a kid I always watched the NBA Draft, which was mostly predictable. But the NFL Draft? I cannot understand it. I really do not want to, either. I think I would rather drink.

Apparently, the beer of the weekend will be courtesy of Bobblehead; he has a beer he wants me to try. I have no clue what it is, so in case it is something I have sampled before I am trying Madhaus Dunkelweizen, brewed by the Madhouse Brewing Company of Newton, Iowa.


Serving type: 22-ounce bomber. No freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a half-liter weizen glass. The color is dark brown. Two fingers of thickish, tan head dissipated slowly to leave a thin lacing and ring around the edge.

Smell: Like dunkelweizen, though it is pretty fruity and sweet. Banana, apple, bubble gum, clove, a little pepper spice, caramel, and chocolate. The sweetness gives way to the malts as the beer warms, though.

Taste: The flavor offers a nice toastedness, which is a surprise given how sweet and fruity the smell is. The fruit is still there — banana and apple — but toasted caramel really stands out. There may also be a few roasted malts; I can sense a little roasted bitterness from the uvula. There are also touches of chocolate and plum. The malts being to shine as the beer warms.

Drinkability: Very impressive. This is a solid dunkelweizen with a unique touch.

Fun facts about MD:

-Style: BA classifies it as “Dunkelweizen.” Surprise, surprise.

-Price: $4.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op on Van Buren Street in Iowa City.

-Serving temperature: The label suggests to “Serve Cold.” No shit. BA recommends a serving range of 45-50ºF.

-Alcohol content: 5.8 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: BA recommends curried and German cuisine; nutty cheeses; “digestive;” and salmon.

-According to the label, MD is part of Madhouse’s “Venture Series.” Here is the nerdiness printed along the side:

Venture Series — A series of one-time release, seasonally brewed beers that will allow craft beer enthusiasts to explore the diverse flavors and styles of their favorite beverage. Our Madhaus Dunkelweizen is a traditional German-style dark wheat beer. We use an authentic Bavarian wheat yeast, which adds the unique clove and banana aromas to the beer. This style also ruses an assortment of dark malts, which results in a deep amber-brown color and chocolate and roasted flavors.

The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.

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