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Efes Dark

Anadolu Efes
Turkey·Dark Lager
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Anadolu Efes's dark lager — Efes Dark is the caramel-forward darker sibling of the flagship Efes Pilsen. Brewed with darker specialty malts at 6.1% ABV with a slightly warming character, caramel sweetness, light roasted grain and a smooth, clean finish. Efes Dark is Turkey's most widely available dark beer: a mainstream dark lager from the country's dominant brewing group.

ABV
6.1%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark31
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
caramelmaltyclean
caramel
malty
clean
roasted
toasty
bready
Aroma
The nose leads with inviting roasted malt and dark bread characteristics, grounded by subtle cocoa undertones.
also:dark fruit
not found:hoppy,chocolate,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Efes Dark

◎ Appearance

Deep mahogany to dark brown in color with excellent clarity typical of a well-crafted lager. The beer presents a modest but persistent tan head that settles into a thin collar. Carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, creating a refined visual presentation.

deep mahoganycleartan headwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with inviting roasted malt and dark bread characteristics, grounded by subtle cocoa undertones. Caramel sweetness is evident but restrained, allowing the darker grain notes to dominate without becoming cloying. A clean, faintly warming yeast presence supports the overall aromatic profile.

roasted maltdark breadcaramelcocoa

◐ Taste

The palate opens with approachable caramel sweetness that transitions smoothly into roasted grain and cocoa flavors. Mid-palate maintains balance with malty depth and subtle bread-like complexity, while the restrained bitterness (18 IBU) remains in the background. The 6.1% ABV provides gentle warmth without alcohol harshness.

caramel-forwardroastedmaltybalanced

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and crisp, with lingering roasted grain notes that fade gracefully. No astringency or harsh aftertaste detracts from the smooth conclusion, making this an easy-drinking dark lager.

cleansmoothroasted grain
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
77
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
79
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Efes Dark

More from Anadolu Efes

Efes Light
Efes Light
Light Lager
3.5% · 8 IBU
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Efes Pilsen

About Dark Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Dark Lager?

Dark Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Dark Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same caramel, malty, clean character as Efes Dark will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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