REVIEW 83: DAB EXPORT

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Germany

BREWERY:  Dortmunder Actien Brauerei 

STYLE:  Dortmunder

ABV:  5.4%

PURCHASE:  Case of 24 11.2-oz. bottles, $24.99

SERVING:  Said bottle, poured into pint glass. A standard pour yielded a standard head of one and a half inches. A slower pour whittled that down to an even inch. Better than average retention.

APPEARANCE:  Pale, golden-straw body with a bright, white head. Transparent. Faint bubbling. Good lacing.

BOUQUET:  Husky, grainy aroma. Very, very subtle traces of spice (seemingly). Too faint to pinpoint. Officially, the ingredients of this beer are water, hops, hop extract, and barley malt. That's it. Hmm.

PALATE:  Softly carbonated body that goes down very smoothly; the drinkability here is on par with that of a light beer. True to the style, this is a beer with a mouthfeel that is consistent throughout each sip; there are no "crescendos" or surprises at the end. Starts a bit sweet, but immediately rescinds to a biscuity taste that sustains itself. Subtle hop factor. Finish is somewhat zesty with lemon rind, and the aftertaste is a tad on the peppery side while remaining citrusy. Interesting, since no form of citrus nor spice is listed as an official ingredient of the beer. Hmm. Regardless, husky malt is the main attraction from beginning to end. 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  This was the official brew of the German-American soccer club my family belonged to when I was a kid. (I didn't play for them, though.) I can see why. It's a great-tasting beer that you can drink a ton of with little effort. Ideal for Oktoberfests and other festivals.

It's not exactly world-class, but it's a very, very satisfying beer with a simple but addictive taste. A case of these cost me 25 bucks. At barely more than a buck a brew, why settle for fucking Miller Lite?




GRADE:  B+