Neumarkter Lammsbrau Organic Dunkel

To be honest, how I stumbled upon this brew was not at all glamorous. I was walking up and down the aisles of an awesome local liquor store when Mike helpfully pointed out the beer specials...and there it was--a four pack for $5? Lammsbrau for the win. Little did I know that I was in for a distinctive and tasty surprise.

Lammsbrau Organic Dunkel

This beer is a premium Bavarian dark lager imported from Germany and according to the bottle's label, is 100% USDA organic --the brewery is solar powered and all of their packaging is made from recycled materials. The brewery originated in Neumarkt, Bavaria in 1628 and has used entirely organic materials since 1986, making it the world's largest certified organic craft brewery. Lammsbrau also brews in accordance with the Beer Purity Law of 1516 and their only ingredients are mineral water, yeast, organic barley malt and organic hops. With such a fine background in brewing and eco-conservation, I knew the beer itself had to be superb.

Appearance: a dark rich toffee color with nice carbonation and a full cream colored head

Aroma: sweet, dark malt with hints of caramel

Taste: mild and malty start with hints of vanilla and carmelized light hoppy finish

Alcohol: 4.9%

This beer really impressed me, not only because of their environment friendly brewing technique but also because even though the 4 pack was on sale, I could still taste the quality of their ingredients. I think this was an excellent introduction to German "dunkel braus" (German for dark brews) and a shining alternative for someone who enjoys dark beers but doesn't want the accompanying heaviness that is sometimes associated with them. Extra props goes out to the Lammsbrau brewery for using all organic ingredients with a delicious result!