Koelsch & Altibier - Dusseldorfer Altbier

BJCP 08-B

AROMA

Munich malt aroma, with a restrained fruitiness. Hop aroma may vary from low to moderate.

APPEARANCE

Orange-copper to brown color, with brilliant clarity. Thick, persistent head.

FLAVOR

Assertively bitter, with intense Munich malt-derived flavor to support. Fruity esters should be restrained; some chocolatey notes are often present. Hop flavor should be low to medium.

MOUTH FEEL

Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. Some commercial examples have a dry finish resulting from a combination of high bitterness, higher attenuation, and moderate sulfate in the water. Overall Impression: Bitterness is very high, especially in relation to the (moderate) gravity. Munich malt character lends balance, resulting in a bittersweet character. Very smooth from fermentation at the lower end of the temperature range for ales, followed by a period of lagering.

OVERALL

A very bitter beer with a pronounced Munich malt character. Ingredients, fermentation at low temperature (for an ale), and a lagering period combine to lend a cleaner palate than for most ales. Predates the isolation of bottom fermenting yeast strains, though it approximates many characteristics of lager beers. Many Northern German Altbiers are lagers

INGREDIENTS

German Munich malt is essential to obtaining the necessary depth of malt character. Hops are traditionally Spalt, though other German varieties are often used.

HISTORY

A very bitter beer with a pronounced Munich malt character. Ingredients, fermentation at low temperature (for an ale), and a lagering period combine to lend a cleaner palate than for most ales. Predates the isolation of bottom fermenting yeast strains, though it approximates many characteristics of lager beers. Many Northern German Altbiers are

COMMERCIAL EXAMPLES

Zum Uerige, Zum Schluessel, Im Fuchschen, Widmer Ur-Alt, Schumacher.

VITAL

OG: 1.040-1.055 IBUs: 40-60 FG: 1.012- 1.019 SRM: 11-19 ABV: 5-5.5%