Serve in a Stange
Alts, or altbiers, are copper to medium brown in color and range in alcohol from 4.5-5.5%. These beers are light-to-medium bodied and have a clean, crisp finish as a result of fermentation at cooler temperatures. A gentle maltiness and crisp noble hop bitterness contribute to the aromas and flavor profiles of these beers. Similar to the kölsch style, these beers are fermented with a top-fermenting yeast at cooler temperatures, giving these beers a clean, crisp finish reminiscent of lagers. Alt directly translates to “old” in German and is in reference to the old style of brewing before the advent of lager style beers. While still closely associated with the German cities of Dusseldorf, Munster and Hanover, this style is fairly rare with only a handful of German breweries still brewing traditional altbiers. Noteworthy examples of this style include: Pinkus Münster Alt, Samuel Adams Boston Ale and Metropolitan Brewing Iron Works Alt.