Dunkelstiltskin Dunkelweizen | Extract Recipe Kit | 5 Gallons
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The short version before the full profile, ingredients, and process notes below.
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Dunkelstiltskin Dunkelweizen | Extract Recipe Kit | 5 Gallons
Dunkelstiltskin Dunkelweizen is our playful take on a classic dark Bavarian-style wheat beer: soft wheat, rich Munich malt, gentle caramel, restrained roast color, low noble-hop bitterness, and the banana-and-clove fermentation profile that makes German wheat beers so distinctive.
Dunkelweizen sits in one of the best “dark but refreshing” corners of brewing. It has the round malt character of a darker beer, but it should still drink like a wheat beer: lively, aromatic, smooth, and highly drinkable. Think fresh-baked wheat bread, bread crust, light caramel, subtle cocoa-colored depth, and expressive Bavarian yeast character rather than heavy roast or syrupy sweetness.
The name Dunkelstiltskin is a nod to the old Rumpelstiltskin fairy-tale rhythm: a little mischievous, a little dark, and memorable enough to earn a spot on the tap list. The joke is in the name; the recipe itself is built to respect the style.
This kit is designed for brewers who want something more characterful than a standard hefeweizen but not as heavy as a porter or stout. It is a great cool-weather wheat beer, an excellent club-pour conversation starter, and a useful recipe for learning how wheat malt, Munich malt, caramel malt, dehusked roasted malt, noble hops, and wheat-beer yeast work together.
Companion version: This is the extract version. If you want full mash control and an all-grain brew day, see the Dunkelstiltskin Dunkelweizen All-Grain Recipe Kit.
Beer Profile
- Style: Dunkelweizen / Dark Bavarian Wheat Beer
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Estimated OG: ~1.051
- Estimated FG: ~1.013
- Estimated ABV: ~5.1%
- Bitterness: ~15 IBU
- Color: ~15 SRM
Grain Milling
We automatically mill the grains included with SoCal Brewing Supply beer recipe kits so they are ready for brew day. If you want the grains left unmilled, please add that request in the shopping cart notes before checkout. We’ll do our best to support unmilled requests when packing your order.
What This Beer Tastes Like
- Malt: soft wheat, bread crust, Munich malt richness, and gentle caramel.
- Color: deep amber to brown with smooth dark-malt color from dehusked roasted malt.
- Hops: low, clean Hallertau Mittelfrüh bitterness that stays out of the way.
- Yeast: classic Bavarian wheat notes: banana, clove, light fruit, and spice depending on fermentation temperature.
- Finish: rounded but not heavy, with lively carbonation and a smooth wheat-beer texture.
Why This Kit Works
Dunkelweizen can go wrong when it becomes too roasty, too sweet, or too muddy. This kit keeps the balance focused: wheat malt for the style foundation, Munich malt for bread-crust depth, CARAMUNICH for a controlled caramel accent, CARAFA Special for smooth color, Hallertau Mittelfrüh for restrained bitterness, and Munich Classic yeast for the fermentation character that makes the beer recognizably Bavarian.
Extract Brewing Notes
The extract version keeps the same dark wheat beer goal in a more approachable brew day: Bavarian Wheat LME and Munich LME provide the foundation, while a short specialty-grain steep adds caramelized malt depth and smooth dark color.
A scale is recommended because the recipe uses measured portions of the liquid malt extract. Weigh the brew-day amounts listed in the instructions and reserve any remaining extract for another batch.
Fermentation Requirements
Use a clean, sanitized fermenter with enough headspace for a lively wheat-beer fermentation. Ferment around 64–70°F for balanced banana, clove, and soft malt character. Cooler fermentation tends to be more restrained and clove-forward; warmer fermentation can push more banana and fruit. Confirm final gravity is stable before packaging.
Detailed Kit Contents
- Briess CBW® Bavarian Wheat LME: 2 cans supplied; weigh 4.4 lb for the recipe
- Briess CBW® Munich LME: 1 can supplied; weigh 2.2 lb for the recipe
- Weyermann® CARAMUNICH® Type 3 Malt: 9 oz
- Weyermann® CARAFA® Special Type 2 (dehusked): 3 oz
- Hallertau Mittelfrüh Hops: 1 oz supplied; use about 0.75 oz in the boil
- LalBrew® Munich Classic Bavarian Wheat Beer Yeast: 1 packet
- Muslin Steeping Bag: 1 bag
Helpful Bottling & Kegging Add-Ons
Bottling this batch? Add powdered dextrose priming sugar so you are ready on packaging day. Use our Priming Sugar Calculator to dial in the correct amount for your actual packaged volume, beer temperature, and carbonation target.
Kegging instead? Use our Beer Carbonation Chart & Keg Serving Pressure Calculator to choose the right CO₂ pressure for your serving temperature and carbonation level.