Day 159: Dark Cloud

Name: Dark Cloud

Brewer: Mother Earth Brewing (Kinston, NC)

Classification: Munich Dunkel Lager

Alcohol: 5.1%

Thoughts: Eastern North Carolina's finest brewery is back on The Beer Year with their lovely rendition of a Munich Dunkel Lager. Dark Cloud pours an ominous black with a thick two-finger wide head. The aroma is heavy on the toasted malts as you would expect from a dark lager, but the more exciting part is the smell of grapes and aromatic hops. It is a unique smell to me as I have not had a great deal of Dunkel Lagers in my day. Sometimes dark beers can be intimidating because you expect them to be so complex that they are too heavy on the palate or just overkill. Dark Cloud is a simplistic dark beer that still manages to pack a punch, but not a knockout blow. The toasted malts are mild, the bitterness is soft and there is an ample amount of sweetness to interest you, but not over do it. This is a dark beer for people are new to this style of beer, but can still be loved by dark beer experts.

Rating: 87/100