Hot Pug on Pug Action: We Try Pug Ryan's Dunkel (Special Saturday Edition!)

No pugs were harmed in the taking of this picture. Also, he's not allowed to drink beer.

Jeff

The problem with some dark beers is that, even if you enjoy dark and bitter flavors, finding pairings that won't overwhelm your food can be difficult. Luckily, Pug Ryan's German style Dunkel is a dark beer that not only pairs well with food, but is also a complex and delicious experience all on its own.

Cracking open this beer I noticed it had an attractive reddish-brown hue which complimented its faintly bitter smell. My first drink was surprising- nicely bitter but with definitely noticeable hits of sour and sweet as well. The flavor also had a nice rounded malt flavor to it, almost caramel like, with a nicely balanced note of hops.

H was surprised at the lack of bitterness and, unusually, found this to be a darker beer that she actually enjoyed. I would definitely buy this again and wouldn't hesitate to pair this with food. It's complexity is what keeps it from being overpowering and eminently drinkable.

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Haley

I had to know when we chose this beer to review where the name "Pug Ryan" had come from. The name is as good as the real person behind it was bad. This beer is named after an outlaw: bank robber, train robber, deputy killer. A real bad hombre. Sadly, the can design is a little more tame.

For a beer that is billed as "brewed for the outlaw in you," I wish more of that was reflected in the design. Where's the intrigue? Show me a train, give me an action pose. Guns, danger, pew pew! If you're going to choose something for its edginess, let it be edgy!

That plus even more mountains equals, to me, a pretty boring can design.