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.

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 plus mild ginger-hibiscus snips in its wake. Musty clove-spiced cherry-apple-grape fruiting fortifies chewy malt center to sweet honeyed wheat finish.

Plain, inexpressive, unfiltered mahogany-hued ale can’t find the right groove. Subtle rye-cocoa illusions get buried beneath prickly citric hops and blanched barley roast. Earthen red-white oak finish recedes to bland nuttiness, deadening ginger, allspice, and clove tingle.

Pleasant German-styled half-wheat spikes smoked wheat malt assertion with cherry-soured chocolate wisp. Similar to a fruited stout, but way too watery. Brewery defunct: 2005.

Phenol murky brown dark wheat ale comes up short in limited ’08 release. For starters, dry-bodied banana souring needs to be pushed forward. Next, its lack of spicy clove-coriander sweetness, dearth of pineapple-orange fruiting, and off-putting smoked peat malting mire cocoa-tinged raisin-prune-fig tartness. Finally, moldy earthen usurpation ruins bland yellow-fruited finish. Busily muddled 2012 version chucked sweet and sour banana tartness in all directions, expanding stylish boundaries as unexpected beechwood smoking cluttered vinous red grape coarseness, musty grape-stemmed Muscat wining and yellow raisin snip.

A.k.a. dark wheat, this medium-bodied Bavarian tends toward the lighter side, as dry plum-raisin souring picks up mild malt creaminess alleviating clove-banana recess. Floral hop dusting drapes lucid mocha backdrop.