Problematic ‘Alpine-style dark wheat ale’ sustains sour-malted rye-pumpernickel blandness, phenol dried fruiting and dismal nuttiness. Though never catching fire, red grape-fig-date tartness and banana bread illusions nearly save the day.

Succinct tawny-clouded meringue-headed dark wheat combines crystalline malts, sourdough yeast, and musty citric spicing in brisk manner. Clove nose gets minor floral yeast and restrained banana backup while leathery earthiness absorbs tart raisin-fig-date riptide by orange blossom finish. A bit soft for its exalted class, though.

Made from a 1444 recipe, this reddish-brown Belgian-styled ale has sassy appeal but lacks focus. Dark roasted grains blend with exotic spices and smoked mocha-chocolate, but flaccid wheat finish needs extra strength. Brewery defunct: 2005.

Delicious pearly-headed dark wheat saddles lusty banana-clove-coriander theme with sweet ‘n sour orange tang and vanilla-spiced nutmeg-jasmine easement to baked bread spine of totally exquisite German.

Thin, watery, turbidly rust-hued Bavarian dark ale lacks expected richness, settling for mere chocolate dip recession and prune-dried barleywine trickle. Grape esters waft through fig-raisin dissipation and teensy orange-kumquat stint.

On tap, mildly medicinal, murkily clouded, unfiltered dark wheat ale brings bittersweet prune-fig propensity to tropical citric rush, faint banana-clove souring, and cocoa-hazelnut dash. Woody cherry-smoked dryness and charred tobacco hint add further eccentricities. In bottle, depleting ashy coarseness saps fruity subtleties.

Acrid unfiltered dark wheat knockoff mired by phenol astringency and mucky hop roast settles into fair coffee-burnt chocolate lactose souring. But acidic onrush ruins funky fig-like finish. Brewery defunct: 2007.

Suitable ink black-hued, tan-headed dark beer fashioned after Bavarian wiesse. But dry-bodied cola palate, perky hop snap, and sweet barley crackle put it closer to well-rounded brown ale than distinguished German wheat. Brewery defunct: 2005.

Musty sweet-scented golden reddish dunkelweizen retains prompt roasted nut dryness, wheat-cracked toasted barley backbone, and soft hop-spiced bottom. Moderate bitter mocha finish gets spicy nip, caramel clip, and black molasses hint troubled by overriding diacetyl sourness.

Rich dark-browned German-styled dunkleweizen brings oily coffee murk and caramel malted richness to mild rye wheat spine. Sticky yeast residue at glass bottom approves its robustness. Recessive date-fig tones coat back-tongue. A hint of mint completes the score. Finding beer label proved difficult, but AAA’s Kristal Weizen was available (to left). Brewery defunct: 2005.

Sophisticated dark wheat ale with copper-clouded hue, soda-like flow, and well-hopped assertion gains honeyed wheat sweetness above yellow fruit-spiced agility and caramel-crystal malting. Mild barleywine influence increases sedate warmth. Crisp, clean water texture lightens the mood.

Nonpareil old-styled gold-hazed medium-bodied Bavarian dunkelweizen pours out of bottle with lively carbolic vigor, amplifying creamy vanilla seduction before leaving banana nut and raisin bread illusions in its wake. Musty clove-spiced cherry-apple-grape fruiting fortifies chewy malt center to sweet honeyed wheat finish.