Oshkosh Beer Sampler 013: Slam Dunkel

A slanted and endless survey of what’s pouring in Oshkosh, tallied one beer at a time.

What: Slam Dunkel, a German-style, dark lager.

Where & When: Slam Dunkel goes on tap tomorrow night (Thursday, March 21) at Fratellos in Oshkosh. To kick the kegs off, Fratellos will offer guests a free mug of the beer from 5-7pm.

Why: Because there’s a lot to like about this beer. Personally, Dunkel is one of my favorite styles of lager. And Kevin Bowen, Brewmaster at Fox River Brewing Company/Fratellos makes one of the better American versions I’ve had. Dark brown with a thick, off-white head, the beer is creamy and easy drinking with a light caramel and chocolate malt sweetness. It’s refreshing enough to be sessionable and at 5.6% ABV, you can drink a few without being run to ground.

Aside from it being a fine beer, this sort of brew is part of our heritage. In the latter half of the 1800s, Oshkosh was riddled with breweries and this is precisely the sort of lager they were making and drinking. Back then, a frothing mug of brewery-fresh dark lager was the tipple of choice for Oshkoshers haunting the city’s tap rooms. Here’s a chance to get a good taste of what used to be.