Aroma: Subtle malty, sometimes
grainy aroma. Low to
no noble hop aroma. Clean, lager character with very restrained ester profile. No diacetyl.
Appearance: Light copper to light
brown color; very clear from extended cold conditioning. Low
to moderate off-white to white head with good retention.
Flavor: Fairly bitter yet
balanced by a smooth and sometimes sweet malt character that may have a rich,
biscuity and/or lightly caramelly flavor.
Dry finish often with lingering bitterness. Clean, lager character
sometimes with slight sulfury notes and very low to no esters. Very low to medium noble
hop flavor. No diacetyl.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium
body. Moderate to
moderately high carbonation.
Smooth mouthfeel.
Overall Impression: A very clean and
relatively bitter beer, balanced by some malt character. Generally darker, sometimes
more caramelly, and usually sweeter and less bitter than Düsseldorf Altbier.
Comments: Most Altbiers produced
outside of Düsseldorf are of the
Northern German style. Most are simply
moderately bitter brown lagers.
Ironically “alt” refers to the old style of brewing (i.e. making ales),
which makes the term “Altbier” somewhat inaccurate and inappropriate. Those that are made as ales are fermented at
cool ale temperatures and lagered at cold temperatures (as with Düsseldorf
Alt).
Ingredients: Typically made with a
Pils base and colored with roasted malt or dark crystal. May include small amounts
of
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.046 – 1.054
IBUs: 25 – 40 FG: 1.010 – 1.015
SRM: 13 – 19 ABV: 4.5 – 5.2%
Commercial Examples:
Aroma: Typically showcases the
signature Northern Brewer hops (with woody, rustic or minty qualities) in
moderate to high strength. Light
fruitiness acceptable. Low to moderate
caramel and/or toasty malt aromatics support the hops. No diacetyl.
Appearance: Medium amber to light
copper color. Generally clear. Moderate off-white head
with good retention.
Flavor: Moderately malty with a pronounced hop bitterness.
The malt character is usually toasty (not roasted) and caramelly. Low to moderately high hop flavor, usually
showing Northern Brewer qualities (woody, rustic, minty). Finish fairly dry and crisp, with a lingering hop bitterness and a firm, grainy malt
flavor. Light fruity esters are
acceptable, but otherwise clean. No
diacetyl.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium to medium-high
carbonation.
Overall Impression: A lightly fruity beer
with firm, grainy maltiness, interesting toasty and caramel flavors, and
showcasing the signature Northern Brewer varietal hop character.
History: American West Coast
original. Large shallow open fermenters
(coolships) were traditionally used to compensate for the absence of
refrigeration and to take advantage of the cool ambient temperatures in the
Comments: This style is narrowly defined around the prototypical Anchor Steam
example. Superficially similar to an American
pale or amber ale, yet differs in that the hop flavor/aroma is woody/minty
rather than citrusy, malt flavors are toasty and caramelly, the hopping is
always assertive, and a warm-fermented lager yeast is used.
Ingredients: Pale ale malt, American
hops (usually Northern Brewer, rather than citrusy varieties), small amounts of
toasted malt and/or crystal malts. Lager
yeast, however some strains (often with the mention of "
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.048 – 1.054
IBUs: 30 – 45 FG: 1.011 – 1.014
SRM: 10 – 14 ABV: 4.5 – 5.5%
Commercial Examples: Anchor Steam,
Aroma: Clean yet robust and
complex aroma of rich malt, noble hops and restrained fruity esters. The malt character reflects German base malt
varieties. The hop aroma may vary from
moderate to very low, and can have a peppery, floral or perfumy character
associated with noble hops. No diacetyl.
Appearance: Orange-bronze to deep
copper color, yet stopping short of brown.
Brilliant clarity (may be filtered). Thick, creamy,
long-lasting off-white head.
Flavor: Assertive hop bitterness
well balanced by a sturdy yet clean and crisp malt character. The malt presence is moderated by high
attenuation, but considerable rich and complex malt flavors remain. Some fruity esters may survive the lagering
period. A long-lasting, dry, bittersweet
or nutty finish reflects both the hop bitterness and malt complexity. Noble hop flavor can be moderate to low. No roasted malt flavors or harshness. No diacetyl.
Some yeast strains may impart a slight sulfury character. A light minerally character is also sometimes
present in the finish, but is not required.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Smooth.
Medium to medium-high carbonation. Astringency low to none. Despite being very full of flavor, is light
bodied enough to be consumed as a session beer in its home brewpubs in
Düsseldorf.
Overall Impression: A
well balanced, bitter yet malty, clean, smooth, well-attenuated
copper-colored German ale.
History: The traditional style of beer from Düsseldorf. “Alt” refers to the “old” style of brewing (i.e.
making top-fermented ales) that was common before lager brewing became
popular. Predates the
isolation of bottom fermenting yeast strains, though it approximates many
characteristics of lager beers.
The best examples can be found in brewpubs in the Altstadt
(“old town”) section of Düsseldorf.
Comments: A bitter beer balanced
by a pronounced malt richness. Fermented at cool ale temperature
(60-65˚F), and lagered at cold temperatures to produce a cleaner, smoother
palate than is typical for most ales.
Common variants include Sticke (“secret”) alt,
which is slightly stronger, darker, richer and more complex than typical alts. Bitterness rises up to 60 IBUs and is usually dry hopped and lagered for a longer time. Münster alt is typically lower in gravity and
alcohol, sour, lighter in color (golden), and can contain a significant portion
of wheat. Both Sticke
alt and Münster alt should be entered in the specialty category.
Ingredients: Grists vary, but usually
consist of German base malts with small amounts of crystal, chocolate, and/or
black malts used to adjust color. Occasionally will include some wheat. Spalt hops are traditional, but other noble
hops can also be used. Moderately
carbonate water. Clean, highly
attenuative ale yeast. A step mash or
decoction mash program is traditional.
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.046 – 1.054
IBUs: 35 – 50 FG: 1.010 – 1.015
SRM: 13 – 17 ABV: 4.5 – 5.2%
Commercial
Examples: Altstadt brewpubs: Zum Uerige, Im Füchschen, Schumacher, Zum Schlüssel; other examples: Diebels Alt, Schlösser Alt, Frankenheim
Alt, Widmer Ur-Alt