Alt

Rita's Beer Buzz column in Nuvo this week is all about Alt. She reviews Omar's Alt at Alcatraz ("close to style with a marked smoothness and delicacy"), and Andrew's at Ram ("upfront bitterness gives way to mellowness, but then a second wave of bitterness awakens the tongue for a dramatic finish").  Here's more on the style:

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Altbier may account for only 2 or 3 percent of the beer brewed in Germany but in Düsseldorf when you order a beer you'll get an Alt. If your glass is empty it will be replaced immediately whether you ask or not. Your beer mat will be marked with a slash to count the beers - be sure not to grab any old mat with pencil marks on it when you sit down. Servings are 250ml. Smoothness of an ale but less fruity but still as bitter than a British Ale. Bitterness comes from Noble hops giving a crisp tang. There's a lot of variation between brands, even in Düsseldorf, and even more in brands brewed in Austria and the U.S. The brewing process uses mainly Pilsner Malt and Spalt hops which are common in Pilsners but the specific yeast and conditioning at colder temperatures gives it the distinctive profile. Alt means old. When lagers became the rage some isolated pockets of Germany held onto their old beer traditions and old beer styles. In Düsseldorf the newer pale malts came into use but the old top-fermenting yeast was retained to produce a unique beer. Düsseldorf is just 50 miles east of Belgium and the bustling city on the Rhine is surrounded by some of Germany's finest large parklands. The climate is fairly cool in the summer and brewing could be done all year (as opposed to most of Germany where summertime brought an end to brewing). Ale yeast ferments at a higher temperature than lager yeast which helped year-round brewing. Alt (and Kölsch) beers use a somewhat cooler fermentation for their specific strains of yeast but still noticeably warmer than lagers. In 1860 there were 100 breweries in Düsseldorf. After WWI those numbers were cut in half and the depression in Germany between the wars diminished them to only 18. Today, there are only 2 large breweries in Düsseldorf along with 4 small brewpubs (mainly due to mergers). John Matthias Schumacher opened Brauerei Schumacher in 1838 and was the first to use the term Alt. Their beer was matured in wood casks longer than most other ales. It became a favorite and the company thrived to become a very large concern that is still around today. Altbiers, with some variations, are made today in Venlo, The Netherlands; Hannover, Germany; and also in brewpubs around the world. 30 miles south, in Cologne, Altbier has undergone a transformation into Kölsch. Sticke Alt Sticke means secret in the local dialect, stickum in common German. Most Düsseldorf breweries produce a Sticke which is normally stronger and darker than their usual product. In medieval times, monks would brew a stronger beer for themselves and their better, richer customers. Most Sticke Alts are 5.5 to 6.0% ABV. It is a local tradition to sell Sticke at the regular Alt price. The Uerige Sticke is the most famous of these and is exported in bottles. It comes out on the third Tuesday in both January and October. They also make a Doppelsticke at 8.5% ABV. Think of it as Double Secret Probation Alt. Füchschen puts theirs out as a Christmas beer (Weinachtsbier) served on Dec 24th. Schumacher's is called Latzenbier and is available in late September and late November. It has a lot of Noble hop bitterness and a nutty maltiness. Latzen is the German word for a wooden slat and the name comes from the high storage shelves used to keep pilferage down. It could be called a Top Shelf beer.

The Four Düsseldorf Brewpubs Füchschen Schlüssel Schumacher Uerige

 

Native Territory	Düsseldorf, Germany
Color (SRM)	Pale to deep copper often with some reddish notes. (13 - 19).
Head	Off-white and thick.
Aromas	Some rich malt. Noble hop aroma.
Flavors	Mainly crisp malt start. May have some fruity presence.
Finish	Balanced drying hop that is fairly long lasting.
Mouthfeel	Medium body.
Carbonation	Moderate - does not get in the way.
Alcohol	Not noticeable in the mouth. 4.5 - 5.0% ABV. Sticke Alt is normally 5.5 - 6.0 % ABV.
Bitterness (IBU)	Variable by brand. Clean Noble hop character. (35 - 50)
Serving	Usually in a 1/4 liter straight-sided glass. A Kölsch glass may be more obtainable.
Malts	Pilsner, Munich, Vienna, Wheat. Touch of darker malt such as Black Patent for color only.
Hops	Noble hops. Spalt is the normal base hop.
Yeast	Specialized Alt yeast.
Related Styles	Kölsch
Notes	Fermented cool for an ale (say, 63 - 68°F). Lagered for at least a month at quite cold temperature.

Bob's Pick	Uerige Altbier - Soft, strong, bitter, amber brew served from the wood. (They also make a delicious Hefeweizen of a non-Bavarian style - without banana/clove essences.) Uerige Sticke - Düsseldorf - Rich reddish brown. Strong malt with good balance. Subtle hints of fruit, caramel, and minerals. More alcohol in the mouth than its 6.0% ABV would suggest.
Rare Gems	Alaskan Amber - Juneau, Alaska - Rich malty with a long finish. Well balanced. McNeill's Alle Tage Altbier - Brattleboro, VT - Creamy and rich. Southampton Publick House Secret Ale - Southampton, NY - Big with lots of caramel and a bit of toasty. 5.0% ABV - low for a Sticke.
Widely Available	Diebels Alt - Issum, Germany (just northwest of Düsseldorf) - Possibly the most earthy major commercial example. Available throughout Germany. Frankenheim Alt - Düsseldorf - Deep copper. Sweet malt aroma that dries fully. Schwelm Alt - Schwelm, Germany (just northeast of Düsseldorf) - Darker than any of the others. Nutty, herbal, with caramel notes.

 

Typical 5-gallon (US) recipe
Grains	5.5 lb Pilsner Malt 2 lb Dark Munich Malt 2 lb Vienna Malt 1 lb Crystal Malt 1 lb CaraHell Malt 1 lb Dark Malted Wheat 1 oz Black Patent Malt
Adjuncts, Fruit, Spices	None
Hops	1.8 oz Spalt hops at start of boil 1 oz Hallertau for 45 minutes of boil .5 oz Hallertau for 15 minutes of boil .5 oz Hallertau at end of boil
Yeast	Düsseldorf Alt yeast
Mash	Double Decoction
Boil time	75 minutes
OG / FG	1050 / 1013

More information can be found at the European Beer Guide.