Pumpernickel is a type of sourdough bread from Germany that is made with a combination of rye flour and rye meal (more coarsely ground than flour) and is very dark in color (even when compared to breads made with flour that includes bran). It tastes very similar to rye bread, but differs in that pumpernickel recipes often call for molasses, helping to give pumpernickel its dark color. Pumpernickel is about three times as dense as wheat bread. A slice of Traditional German pumpernickel contains no coloring agents (such as molasses), instead relying on the Maillard reaction to produce the characteristic deep brown color, sweet dark chocolate coffee flavor, and earthy aroma.