22 beers - The three-fer Sunday Edition

On a sullen night, marked by a general boredom and the typical apathy that accompanies it, as well as a certain nagging but not debilitating indigestion, I found myself very eager to drink some of the excellent beers that I had acquired for the 22 beers feature.  I was already encouraged by the excellent experience of the first review, as well.

Because of this, I gave myself the liberty to consume and enjoy not just 1, not 2, but 3 (!) of the excellent beers.  I have reviewed each of them below:

DAB Dortmunder Export

Kostritzer Schwarzbier

Tucher Dunkel Hefe Weizen

DAB Dortmunder Export

Overall 7.5

Nice review at: http://www.dailybeerreview.com/2013/04/dab-dortmunder-export.html

Being labeled simply a "beer" made me think that DAB wouldn't measure up to the other fine drinks on the list.  I wasn't totally wrong: it's a very good light-bodied German beer.

The first sip was bright and refreshing, clean, and surprisingly pleasant.  Generous hoppiness accompanied by a clean spring-water texture make for a good sweet taste.  It was easy to drink and left you wanting more.  That said, there wasn't anything much to leave a strong impression.  It's a good overall beer.

I guess I have been spoiled, because I was left wanting more beer and also more complexity.  Reminded me of a Stoudt's Golden lager.

Kostritzer Schwarzbier

Overall 8.5

Great look at Beer Advocate

Here is a beer that looks like an experience, and did not disappoint.  The aroma hits you as soon as you open the bottle - there are notes of caramel and chocolate as well as the clean, sweet roasted hoppiness.

First sip was interesting  because it takes a second for your mouth to figure out exactly what it's gotten into.  The texture is thick although not syrupy, just enough for you to remember that it is a dark German beer.  That quality makes it surprisingly easy to drink for such a full-bodied drink.

Taste is a delicate balance of roasted hops, caramel, hints of mocha and coffee dancing in your lips, as well as a distant few fruity zips.  Very nice, very pleasant, and an excellently crafted experience.

Tucher Dunkel Hefe Weizen

Overall 7.0

Good look at Beer Advocate

Being a huge fan of the German Wheat beers, I was most excited for this Dunkelweizen of any of the three.  Perhaps the experience with the first two left me feeling a bit spoiled, but the Tucher was not quite as good as the others.  But still, very good!

The bottle was probably the highlight of the beer, as the golden adornments make it look like something Kaiser Wilhelm might drink.

First sip was strong but settled quickly.  The wheat hits you first, and is a nice blend of aromatic wheats that fill your nose and mouth.  Texture is excellent overall, as it was both smooth but felt like a "real beer," in the style of a   +Pilsner Urquell.  However, the complexity was a bit lacking, as after the wheat was done, there was a distinct sweet banana aftertaste.  It was not bad, but not exactly what I was hoping for.