Beer Styles
by Mark Meli
|
Altbier is an amber or brown brew hailing from the region around DĂŒsseldorf on the Rhine in Germany. Its name translates as âold,â which comes from its being a top-fermented ale. Ales were the main type of beer for centuries in Germany, but they have been widely replaced by bottom-fermented lagers over the last 150 years. So altbier is âoldâ in that it is brewed with ale yeast. Most of the typical recipes used today, though, were formulated in the mid 19th century. Alt differs from English and Belgian amber ale in that it is fermented at a cooler temperature, and then aged (lagered) at close to zero degrees for an extended period. Thus the fruitiness that ale yeasts usually produce is restrained somewhat, and the cold aging produces a smooth, clean taste and high drinkability. Alts typically have a malty nose accompanied by the grassy and earthy notes of noble hops. Hop aromas donât jump out and grab you, though. Alt should have a caramel malt flavor that is often nutty but not overly sweet, with light fruit and a clean, crisp hop bitterness. Hops might be grassy, but never citrus. The caramel flavor should never approach toffee or butterscotch, and it shouldnât be burnt like a stout. Alt is a session beer, one that you can drink lots of without getting too drunk or bored. Alt has been a favorite style of Japanese microbrewers since the early days, when most dark ales were called alt, and blonde ales kölsch (the style of nearby Köln). Few of these, however, were authentically cold-lagered, and many were quite English in style. Today, there are over 50 alts brewed by microbreweries in Japan, with a varying degree of authenticity. Some are very good, with those from Tazawako and Yokohama Breweries among my favorites. The former stays close to the DĂŒsseldorf style, whereas the latter is a freer, richer interpretation. Any brewery still advertising only an alt and a kölsch, though, might be suspected for lacking innovation. We donât live on the Rhine! By far the best place to sample altbier is in the DĂŒsseldorf altstadt, from the four remaining traditional and independent brewpubs, Uerige, im FĂŒchschen, SchlĂŒssel, and Schumacher, which still serve their alt by gravity from wooden casks. It is fresh and unpasteurized, elegantly flavorful, and very low in carbonation. There is nothing like it! All Beer Styles articles are written by Mark Meli, author of Craft Beer in Japan. This article was published in Japan Beer Times # () and is among the limited content available online. Order your copy through our online shop or download the digital version from the iTunes store to access the full contents of this issue. |
