Similar to the more famous Pilsner, Dortmunders have a richer malt profile with a more subtle hop influence.
In the great Lager brewing country of Germany you would expect that they would have their own expressive, light colored Beers to rival the great Lagers from Pilsen. Dortmunder, along with Helles (see the Helles listing as well), is one of those great German style Lagers. Dortmunder is fuller in body and often darker in color than Pilsner while offering a subtler hop profile both in terms of aromatics and palate bitterness. As the name would strongly suggest, this style hails from the German city of Dortmund (located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia). The city has a long brewing history dating back to at least the 13th century while the style of Beer that we know today emerged in the later half of the 19th century. The style is one of my personal favorites and at times my mood and cravings will accept nothing other than a Dortmunder. The style has translated well outside of Germany being successfully produced in the USA, Japan, and Scandinavia. Despite the global success of Dortmunder it is still firmly associated with its native city and the breweries there that carry the name so proudly.