Steel Toe Worn Sole Imperial Alt

 Steel Toe Worn Sole Imperial Alt.

8.5 % ABV, Steel Toe Brewing, St. Louis Park, MN. 

Dark brown color, slim tan head, nearly opaque.

In the nose: cocoa, coffee, caramel. Slightly sweet.

In the mouth: more of the same on the palate, rich and robust. Practically delicious. Full bodied. This brings to mind the king of this style, the Urrige Doppelsticke. That’s a compliment. 

It’s been gone for a bit, and I deeply regret not buying more than one six pack. So very tasty. 

Aromas of dark caramel, toffee, raisin, and slight spice. 

Junkyard Laser Focus Altbier

 

Junkyard Laser Focus Altbier. 

5.3 % ABV. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN. 

And here we have the first appearance in the Nib of a 16 ounce can from Junkyard. No more crowlers. We still have some at the store, and there are a few I want to check out, so you'll still see one or two before too long. But, hail, hail, the coming of the cans. No longer forced to consume 25 ounces in one sitting, yay! It'll be cheaper by the ounce, as well. Nothing but good can come of this change. 

And I chose this altbier because, as I've said, I would prefer to enjoy Junkyard's efforts at classic styles, rather than the fruited sours and New England IPAs. They usually do a pretty good job at them, and I'd like to spotlight that, whenever I can. (I didn't pick up a pilsner called Grandpa Bill's Pils because, as I've also said, pilsners and lagers are not going to be my favorite styles. Just not happening. 

Clear, light brown, slim, off-white head above. 

In the nose: Malt forward. Nutty. Slightly sweet. Mild hops. 

In the mouth: Clean and smooth. Caramel flavors combine with nuts. Medium bodied. Excellent balance. Minor hops, mostly malty. Just on the edge of sweetness, but all is reined in with this one. Classic and cool. Tasty beer here. 

I like a good altbier and this is one. 

 Laser Focus is a deep-copper Altbier with complex, yet extremely well-balanced flavors. The malty richness, followed by hints of crisp, fruity esters will definitely leave you wanting more. 

Waldmann Düsseldorf Altbier

Waldmann Düsseldorf Altbier.

5.6 % ABV. Waldmann Brewery, St. Paul, MN. 

Dark brown color, nearly opaque, large creamy/tan head. 

In the nose: Sweet malt, mild hops, nuts, cocoa and cola lead the aroma. 

In the mouth: Sweet from the start, malt-driven, smooth and tasty. Ultimately balanced, ending on a tidy dry note. More of the cola/cocoa/nut flavors, rolling off the palate. Hints of anise. Moderate bitterness, Exceptionally likable. Ridiculously drinkable. I can't recommend this highly enough. 

Originating in Düsseldorf in the early 19th century alter is a copper-colored session beer of well-balanced bittersweet drinkability. Brewed with a mix of German noble hops, our version is fermented with a classic ale yeast at cooler temperatures and then lagered for several weeks producing both the nutty malt aromas of an ale and the dry finish and lingering hop aromas of a lager. 

Waldmann Barrel-aged Dopplesticke (Special Altbier)

Waldmann Barrel-aged Dopplesticke (Special Altbier).

So, you guys. I've been meaning to write more about Waldmann Brewery in St. Paul, and talk about my visit back in August, as well as my first time there in September of 2019. And I wanted to pair this with a review of one of their beers. I've never bought a crowler there, for each time they weren't available. I've enjoyed them via gifts from my buddy Ed and from South Lyndale Liquors, where I now work. I waited too long, however, for reasons too tedious to detail to you, my friends. Suffice it to say that it is finally time to move this blog off of blogspot. Once I can attach the photos from those visits, I make that post my priority number one. 

Meanwhile, I keep trying to stay on top of their offerings in crowler form, though I've failed a few times. Some of their beers have sold out before I can bring them home. So, it's time to write up the ones I've been sitting on, since it may take a little while to get that bug fixed. 

But, I'll say this. Each time I visited, whenever I posted pics on facebook or instagram, I got more likes than anything, with the exception of when I post pics of my internet-leery mother on her birthday. People flat out love this place. Waldmann truly is a treasure. 

But, on with the beer: 

9.5 % ABV. Waldmann Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 

Semi-clear, dark brown hue, slim brownish head. 

In the nose: Barrel effects blanket everything. Vanilla, cherries, whiskey, leather, oak, all smothering the doppelsticke underneath it all. Not that I'm complaining. 

In the mouth: Sweet, rich, malty, boozy. All those bourbon barrel flavors from the nose come to rest on the palate. Barrel flavors grip the senses. Malt flavors from the doppelsticke below are conquered completely. Again, not that I mind. Waldmann keeps their experiments German and unique. Someone else might barrel-age a doppelbock, but not these guys. I keep loving what they do. 

This is utterly delicious. I did not mind paying $16 for the crowler, a price a bit too high for me, usually. Now, I'm thinking that I need to pick up another, before they're gone. 

I'm not kidding, you guys. I'm calling this one: yum a dum dum. Mark my words. 

Rush River Rye barrel-aged Uber Alt (part one of Wisconsin Breweries 2020)

 Rush River Rye barrel-aged Uber Alt. (part one of Wisconsin breweries 2020)

10 % ABV, Rush River Brewing Company, River Falls, WI.

It's a Sunday in September, and Ed and I are in Wisconsin. The first stop is Rush River Brewing in River Falls, and it's my first time there. Here's a breakdown of why it's taken so long: when planning trips to western Wisconsin with other friends, it was usually centered on visiting Dave's BrewFarm, and for the past five years or so, I usually, no, always, wanted to stop at Oliphant Brewing first. We simply never got around to initiating a a journey that included Rush River, no matter how much I respect the brewery and their beers, or how many free pint tickets I had waiting to use. 

So, yeah, long overdue. My history with Rush River goes back over sixteen years, actually. I featured their beers on tap at the Blue Nile shortly after they opened in 2004, but less so after Surly came along two years later. The thirst then, and especially now, is for what's local, and it is ironic that some would consider anything based within the geographical limits of Minnesota to be "local", even if it is a 3 hour drive away, while they would not think of a place that is a mere 40 miles away to be such. Home state pride is powerful. 

I am a bit surprised that they have only appeared here in the Nib a mere 11 times, though I have reviewed them every chance I could get. (Edit: I have just now discovered that Bubblejack IPA is not here in the Nib, their IPA, and you know I love IPAs, which they've been making for fifteen years, which I added to the database of BeerAdvocate in March of 2005. Sigh. More work to do.) Not enough new brews coming across the border in packaged form. (I know for a fact that I tapped the Kirsche at Acadia a few years ago.) But they certainly do mix it up some at the taproom. Untappd has them at 203 distinct beers created, so far.

It was a mellow scene last Sunday. Some folks were hanging out in front, maskless, but we were bound to belly up at the bar, something I greatly miss. Bar stools and tables were spread apart, all the precautions were put to use. Our server, Andy, remained masked, though we took ours off to sip and chat. There were fourteen beers on tap, running the gamut of styles, and I was most impressed by how many of the beers they've brewed over the years were on, along with fruited Berliner Weisses and the like. 

For the first beer, I had a 16th Anniversary Oud Bruin, and it was right on the money, the oak, the malt, the funk. Brilliant. Followed that up with a Wet Hop Ale, because of course, and that one hit some hoppy heights. Closed it out with the one I'll review below, but wait, that's not all. Somewhere in between, instead of the Peach Fizz Berliner Weisse, or the Raspberry Oud Bruin, or the Kirsche, I got a taste of an as-yet un-released, secret beer, that was sour and consisted of a couple different fruits...tasty stuff...and I forgot what they were! And what it was called. I assumed that it would be listed somewhere online in the course of the past week, but it remains a secret. I  enjoyed it, though, like everything I had. 

The mystery beer and the 
masked bartender.

And so now, at last, I have a Rush River growler in my collection. The bourbon barrel-aged version of the suped-up alt bier was so nice, I had to take it home, along with a few other things I'll write about in the future. Our little stop at the Rush River taproom was pleasant, and I'll definitely return. 

Now, notes on the BA Über Alt: 

Clear-is, deep Burgundy hued, slim off-white head. 

In the nose: incredible aromatics. Big, beefy, ballsy, brawny bourbon smells a-popping. Barrel effects are all over this. Spicy rye malt flavors spilling out all over. 

In the mouth: Rich and malty, full of caramel malt and rye barrel feels. Boom, boom, boom, boom! Huge, spicy, sweet, barrel-riffic. Sweet, vanilla, cherries, oak, leather. Spice. And ever so nice. Wow. I am digging this. It's huge, overblown, and I am digging it big time. There's an alt bier under here somewhere, an "über alt", let's not forget, and it's swallowed up by this barrel-aged bombast. An amazing beer.

Town Hall Rhenish Alt

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Rhenish Altbier. In the Rheinland style, not Dusseldorf, which I'd never heard of before. 5% ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, reddish brown coloring, slim white head.

In the nose: soft and malty, caramel tones, slightly sweet, if but a touch. Pleasant.

In the mouth: A blast of bitterness up front, tidy delivery of hops on the palate, then it's smooth and malty. A little bit sweeter than I expect from an alt, but there ain't nothing wrong with that. Exceptionally drinkable, a very pleasant malt beverage.

This Rhenish-style Alt is a little lighter in color, slightly more fruity, nutty, and sweeter than the Dusseldorf-style Altbiers.

Utepils Alt 1848 Dusseldorf-style Altbier

Utepils Alt 1848 Altbier. 5.4% ABV, 50 IBU. Utepils Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

To the eye: clear, light bronze hue, slim, off-whitish head.

In the nose: malt sweetness, molasses, brown sugar, kept fairly dry with the right amount of hopping.

In the mouth: clean, smooth, and ever-so malty. Sweetness is alway kept just in check. Right on the money here, downright delicious. Medium body, clean finish, just perfectly delightful.

A DELICIOUSLY DRINKABLE GERMAN ALT, BREWED IN THE TRADITION OF A DÜSSELDORF BREWERY FOUNDED IN 1848. OUR TAPROOM’S COPPER KETTLE DOME HAILS FROM THERE AS INSPIRATION FOR OUR COPPER-HUED ALT.

Summit High Sticke Altbier

Summit High Sticke Alt. Proudly brewed in St. Paul, Minnesota. 12 fl. oz. Ale. 7.5% Alc. by Vol.

St. Paul is a hockey town.  So naturally a "sticke altbier" out of that town would get a hockey pun for a name. This is not the first altbier from Summit. The style was once a fall seasonal for them, early on. In my early days of buying beer for a bar, I tried to bring on all the Summit seasonals, and had a hard time moving that one when it's turn came. I'd explain to customers that the name meant "old beer" and they'd bellow "I'd don't want any old beer! Bring me fresh!" and wave me away callously. That hurt. Maybe consumers are more receptive to beer education now,  and will stop yelling at me when I provide them with new information?

And, hey, let's just call them German brown ales, why don't we?

(It was also, I forgot for a moment, the 20th in the Unchained Series, two years, as evidenced here.) (And it slowly sinks in that this may be the very same beer, especially after my FaceBook post got a like by brewer Mike Lundell.)

Clear-ish, brown colored, slim off-white head.

In the nose: light caramel malt sweetness, low bitterness, nice. Warm and pleasant.

In the mouth: Big malt boards the palate, with more of the same character found in the nose: moderate hop bitterness, tasty malt sweetness, caramel and brown sugar, nicely toasted.

From the label: "Crisp hop spice, assertive bitterness, and notes of caramel and biscuit."

You know what? It is crisp and assertive, lasting long into the finish. Not the kind of hop presence a big-time hop-head like me is looking for, but more than you'd expect in an English- or American-style brown ale.

Quite drinkable, even at 7% +. I can't rightfully call it a session beer, but so tasty that I could go for a few at a time.

More information, and hockey puns, from the Summit website: With big aromas of stone fruit and toffee, plus a slap shot of spicy hop flavor and assertive bitterness, Summit High Sticke Alt basically runs the rink. Cross-checking, throwing elbows, talking trash — the beer just does what needs to be done. Deep copper in color, traces of toast, caramel, and biscuit come from a complex blend of German malts, while a huge hop load and a long period of cold conditioning result in crisp, refreshing drinkability. Find our newest limited beer on draft and in 12-oz. bottles, only inside the Summit Penalty Box.

Conversation Starter
Inspired by the Altbier style famous to Düsseldorf, Germany, High Sticke Alt has roots that go back centuries. “Alt” is literally German for old, referring to the beer’s method of fermentation, and “Sticke,” on the other hand, means secret — a nod to the special-occasion seasonal beers brewers would make for themselves and their favorite customers.

Town Hall Northern Gale Sticke Alt

Here we have another new Town Hall beer that's not listed on their website. I found it on BeerAdvocate with one rating, added this Sunday. Raters on RateBeer.com added it a few weeks earlier. I hadn't been in in the pub in a while, so it was new to me. By the name, I'm taking a wild guess that it's a German-style Sticke Altbier. Those helpful folks mentioned above say that it's 5.5% alcohol by volume. I could have found that out myself, but I didn't take note while I was there, just grabbed the growler, and now here I am ready to drink it. So what am I waiting for?

Clear, caramel-brown coloring, slim off-white head, soon-gone.

Clean, malt-forward aroma.

Rich, malty flavor. Semi-sweet. Good balance. Brief notes of caramel and toffee, a little cocoa, and the hops are holding malt just in check. Tastes like a sticke alt should.

Good beer. You can drink it.

That about cover it, friends.

Summit Unchained Batch No. 20: Sticke Alt

Summit Unchained Series Batch No. 20: Sticke Alt, Dusseldorf Style Ale. 55 IBU, 6.3% ABV. “Best served in an alt tumbler of stange beer glass.” (I don’t think I have either of those in my collection, so the shaker pint will have to do.) Brewer: Mike Lundell.

I remember the last time Summit made an altbier, their fall seasonal before Oktoberfest. I tried to explain it it to people by translating it, telling them it means "old beer." Some customers told me flatly "I don't want any 'old' beer!" Now, I can tell them it's a 'secret' old beer.

Dark copper-y coloring, with ruby tinges, under a creamy, dull tan head.

Mostly malty aromatics, caramel-y, clean, staying just shy of sweet.

In the mouth, more of the same. Caramel, a little cocoa, and perhaps a touch of toffee coming from the malt, hops keeping the balance, but not adding much more. Wait…I take that back, here they come, they’re peeking out, popping up from the malt.

They aren’t that many examples of the altbiers of Dusseldorf  available stateside for me to compare this to any more authentic versions. In the 15 years since Summit last brewed their version, I haven’t had that many. From what I remember, though, this is right on the money.

Correction: Looking back, this blog shows five alts, all of American beers. From BeerAdvocate, there are 24 more altbiers I've had, including a mere three from Germany. Two of these, the Uerige beers are ones that I definitely need to revisit

Brau Brothers ALTernative Imperial Alt

You know what? It's time to drink some Brau Brothers beer. They no longer list their home as Lucan, MN, for they have a new facility in the nearby town of Marshall, MN. This bottle came to me in a sampler pack that held 3 beers I haven't covered for this blog, plus Moo Joos, which I always enjoy. So, let's go ahead and crack open this ALTernative Imperial Alt.

It's a muddy bronze, with ruby edges, and a slim beige head. Looking the part.

Aroma: rich malt hits first, with fruity associations, and a good amount of sweetness. Mild, floral hops. Detectable alcohol presence lurking behind, as well. It's big and complex and it's leading me to drink.

Taste: Imperial Alt is right. Big and beefy, mostly sweetly. Moderate hops, mostly malt, bulging over, mores than the average alt. Lingering sweetness in the finish. It's a meaty one, and I'm digging it.

Here's what they say: "authentic German malt & hops build this ale fermented very cold and allowed to cellar." Alc 8.5% by Vol. 23 IBU.
"Brewed in the Parti-Gyle Tradition." I don't know what that means. But I'm liking the beer.

Sierra Nevada/Victory Alt Route Alt Bier (Beer Camp Across America #4)

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America Alt Route Altbier, brewed in collaboration with Victory Brewing Company. 6.6% alc by vol. 50 IBU.

Dusky, dark, rich auburn-hued, under a lush, off-white head. Looking great.

Aroma: malt, grain, mineral, nut. Clean, keen and serene and classically alt. Mild hops.

Taste: malt is king at first, rich and chocolatey, nutty, totally tasty. Full-bodied, with a long finish. This has all the hallmarks of a classic alt. Mmm. Not too much else to say, it is exactly what it is. And it is good.

Let's read more: "This take on a German alter is anchored by a layered, slightly sweet malt body supported by citrusy hop flavor and aroma." Yeah, I didn't get any citrusy anything. Well, maybe some. Okay, yeah, I get it now.

Wait, there's more! "Brewers are notorious for refusing to take the easy path. Alt Route is a tribute to this stubborn spirit that drove us to dodge the status quo and build breweries of our own. Together we chased the siren song of beer with this revamped take on an antique beer style."

Okay, now I get the "revamped" aspect, it's the use of distinctly American hops instead of classically German ones. Not sure why I didn't get them at first gander. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

Milwaukee Brewing Louie's Demise Amber Ale

Louie's Demise Amber Ale, Milwaukee Brewing Company. 5.5% ABV. And now we have the flagship of the MKE line. Maybe I'll like this one?

Deep amber/nearly red in color, very short head, slims down to nil.

Aroma: rich and malty sweet, tidy hop presence.

Taste: It's a mostly malty affair, hops are here for balance. Stays just short of sweet, with a flavor an equal dose of fruit and grain. Medium-bodied. Long, malty finish. On the whole, wholly unremarkable.

There are words on the can. Let us read them: "Our flagship brand, this medium bodied amber ale starts with a rich malt flourish that kept in perfect balance by a smooth hop finish. This MBC original is similar to a German style alt bier."

So there we have it. It does taste like an alt, at that. And it's beer, and you can drink it. Not bad, but I'm not thrilled. Go back to step one: acknowledge that it is beer, admit that you can drink it. Prepare to not be impressed, and carry on.

Note: early today, I sampled the Booyah Farmhouse Ale and noticed (but did not note in my notes) that it had a copyright date of 2011. This can has a copyright date of 2013. Did I get a 2+ year old sample bottle, or do they just take their time updating the labels?

Rush River Uber Alt

Rush River Uber Alt Altbier. …I'm wondering why they translate "bier" into "beer", but leave the "alt" the same on that label? They don't want to say "old beer?"
8.5% ABV.
Dark amber hue, slim, soon gone head.

Aroma: caramel malt and light spice, sweet and slightly fruity. Chocolate covered raisins and carob. Mmm.

Taste: there's that tasty malt again, there's that mmm, mmm caramel and nougat. A little sweet, a little dry. Toasty. Medium bodied. Long, sweet, dry, toasty finish. Boom, boom, boom, it's hitting on all cylinders, just as the alcohol peeks in a tad.

Drinks down delightfully. Dry, and flavorful, and tasty, tasty, tasty. Another nice one from Rush River….pretty good "old beer."

Schell's Schmaltz' Alt

I've always been fond of this one, whether because of the rhyming name, or the ol' man Schmaltz on the label, or the story of how he taught Ted Marti's Dad how to shoot rats in New Ulm. The beer's nice, too. Got a sample bottle recently, and instead of relying on ages-old notes, wrote some new ones. Here they are:

"Schell's Schmaltz's Alt…the Schmaltz is back!

Dark brown, color, creamy light tan head, with…very strange things on top. What is this? Spices? Herbs? Malt, hops? It ain't no bugs, I hope…

Aroma:
very mellow and even-tempered, warm and nutty, clean and malty. Nice.

Taste: Big, rich, chocolatey malt flavor. Fills the mouth. Brisk carbonation. Taste arrives at delicious rumminess, but a sidecar of raisins. Yum, this just gets better and better. Clean, even finish."

What the heck, here's what I wrote back in April of 2003:

"I've enjoyed this brew many times over the years, but never truly stopped to consider it. There's something irresistible about the rhymy name and the label photo of sour Old Schmaltz sitting on a keg, stein in hand.
Color is a dark brown, almost black, with a fine, 1" creamy tan head. Aroma is largely clean and airy, but there are traces of cocoa and nuts. Hops are there, too, but laying low. On the palate, though, they reveal themselves in all their might. Big burst of fruitiness (bananas,and citrus, primarily!), that soon smooths out bigtime. The malt contingent is firm and swiftly becomes large and in charge. That doesn't stop an overriding fruitiness to continue to ride throughout the flavor and the finish. The rest of the drink is a well-rounded, and fruity flavor, with a slightly coppery edge. I'm no expert on alts, but I know what I like, and this is that.