Shevchenko 9 Ukrainian Dunkel

Shevchenko 9 Ukrainian Dunkel is billed as a “Euro Dark Lager”. It comes from the Four Fathers Brewing Co. out of Rockwood, Ontario. Sold in 473mL cans, this dark lager contains 5% alcohol. It’s a rusty and clear grog with a thin disc of off-white head.

Shev 9 has an understated but enjoyable roasted malt nose. Its flavour is toasty, malt-focused, and and has some rich brown sugar notes. Not a lot of bitterness, but there is a bit of astringency to round out the finish.

I’ve never tried a genuine Ukrainian dunkel (an oversight I’m eager to correct), but Shevchenko 9 left me reasonable impressed and thirsty for more. The well-roasted nature of this beer gave it a lot of depth. A bit more hops emphasis might have closed the loop on this stuff with a bit more aplomb, but that’s a pretty minor critique.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.