What Is an Altbier?

Altbier is one of the many beloved beers that traces its roots back to the most popular beer country in the world – Germany.

But what is an altbier? What does it mean? And which altbier should you try?

What Is an Altbier?

The term altbier in German translates to “old beer.” The idea was that its creator, Johann Mattias Schumacher, was bringing back the traditional ale after hundreds of years of lagers having stolen the spotlight.

Today, when we say “altbier,” we often mean an amber hybrid of sorts – a hoppy, lagered, aged ale.

History of Altbier

You see, in the 1400s, a group of Bavarian monks stored their beer to ferment in cold caves and discovered a different yeast that would actually ferment at those colder temperatures. Unlike the Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which prefers warmer fermentation and will often lie dormant if the temperature drops too low, the Saccharomyces pastorianus will ferment as low as 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

The two strains then came to be differentiated as ale yeast and lager yeast.

And lagers took off in Germany.

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Well, Schumacher had other ideas in the small town of Dusseldorf.

In 1838, he bought the Brauerei Im Sonnenaufgang and brewed a strong Rhenish ale, added more hops, and matured it in wooden casks using ale yeast but at cooler temperatures.

The result is a celebration of both the beloved lager and the traditional indigenous ale.

Dusseldorf

Thus, the Dusseldorf altbier follows that same tradition.

It is hoppy, tastes strongly of Noble hops, and is brewed using an ale yeast that will ferment at cooler temperatures (between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit).

Northern Germany

But of course, over time, the phenomenon spread, and breweries in the northern parts of Germany picked up on the altbier, making it their own.

In the north, you can expect to find an altbier that is much less hoppy, with little to no notes of Noble hops. Furthermore, the brew can be fermented with either ale or lager yeasts.

Both versions of the altbier use a base barley malt of Pils and small amounts of Munich, which include darker malts to get that amber flavor and color.

Both also come in around the 5% ABV mark, making them session beers, easy to drink two, three, or four over a long period of time without worry of getting too inebriated.

Sticke

The Sticke version of the altbier, also called a double alt, is a bigger beer with a much higher ABV, coming closer to a high gravity beer.

The Sticke is best enjoyed by the craft beer lover seeking a single beer to sit and mull over with a great German dish to pair it with.

Altbiers to Try

Typically, altbiers are easier to find during the winter and spring, when they are fermented at those cooler temperatures, but many are also made all year round. You can find them if you look hard enough.

To get started with altbiers, here are a few to check out:

Alaskan Brewing, Amber Ale – Out of Juneau, Alaska, this amber ale is marketed as an “alt style beer,” but it is true to the classic cold fermented ale and easy to drink.

Double Bag, Long Trail Brewing – Brewed in Bridgewater Corners, Vermont, Long Trail is a Sticke version of the altbier, so expect an ABV of 7.2% and big, bold, caramel flavors.

OMB Copper, Olde Mecklenburg Brewery – From Charlotte, North Carolina, the OMB Copper is often considered the best altbier in America, and for good reason. It is made according to the classic Dusseldorf style.

Brauerei Schumacher – And of course, if you can, you must venture out to Dusseldorf to try the original altbier at Brauerei Schumacher, where the original brewery still stands.

Cheers!

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What Is an Altbier?