The long, brooding nights of winter call for dark brews, and the range from auburn dark lagers to inky-as-midnight stouts offers a delicious array of flavours. Both light and dark beers are made from water, grain, hops and yeast, but there’s one main difference: malt. All beers contain malt—any cereal grain, such as barley or wheat, that has been steeped, germinated and dried by kilning or roasting so that it can be fermented. However, along with the foundational base malts, complementary specialty malts are added to the brewing process to make dark beer. These caramel, chocolate, Munich and other malts create specific flavours, colours, aromas and body.
Modelo Negra $17.79 Mexico 120501 6 x 355 ml
Warsteiner Premium Dunkel $11.99 Germany 354536 4 x 500ml This lager pours a deep dark brown thanks to roasted barley malt, bringing a rich entry and clear toastiness with underlying hops and a fresh finish.
Mt. Begbie Tall Timber Ale $14.99 BC Craft 292656 6 x 355ml Mt. Begbie’s Tall Timber Ale pairs perfectly with cold, dark nights thanks to warm mocha and toffee notes imbued
Modelo Negra goes dark with caramel malts while keeping things fresh and smooth thanks to a back-end bite of hops.
by caramel and chocolate malts.
DARK LAGER
DUNKEL/BOCK
DARK ALE
In dark lagers, significant flavour continues to shine through from hops. The beer is fermented with lager yeast and may employ pale malts along with darker specialty malts, such as caramel, chocolate and debittered roasted barley (or black) malts. The result is a dark- coloured yet still crisp and refreshing beer that is brewed regularly around the world. Look for an entire category of international dark lagers. This beer is dark in the glass but lip-smacking across the palate, and it makes a great partner with barbecued brisket, roast duck or any rich and fatty dish.
Not all dark lagers are the same. The dark lagers of Germany, in particular, have long provided inspiration for brewers the world over. Dunkel is the German word for “dark,” and this Bavarian beer uses Munich malts to achieve its darker, mahogany-brown colour and characteristic caramel and bread notes. Bock tends to be a stronger, more malt- forward dark lager. These beers have traditionally been served with bratwurst (pork sausage), schweinebraten (pork roast) or sauerbraten (pot roast). There’s really no need to break from convention, so bring on the roast pork and roast beef—really, roasted food of any kind!
Dark ales are not all alike either. They can range in colour from chestnut brown to deep amber, depending on which malts were used in the mash—and how long they have been kilned or roasted. Their flavour can vary too. For example, nut brown ale gives a nod to the colour and nuttiness imbued by darker malts such as Victory, while chestnut brown ale may include roasted chestnuts in the brew. Dark ales are top-fermented for a foamy, yeasty head and robust flavour and pair beautifully with roasted main courses, be they nut loaf or prime rib.
Pair with barbecued brisket or roast duck.
Pair with roast pork or roast beef.
Pair with a nut loaf or prime rib.
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