Bluegrass Altbier

Altbier, literally translated as “Old Style” beer, is a classic German ale. BBC Altbier is brewed with additions of Munich, wheat, caramel, and chocolate malts creating a delicate, but flavorful malt profile. This delicious amber colored session beer is balanced with additions of tradtional spicy German hops creating a light and floral bouquet to compliment its complex malt profile. [aka Fun Erin’s Alt Bier]

2.9

205 reviews

Louisville, United States

Community reviews

2.5 Pale brown, white head. Toasted malt nose. Semi bitter taste sweet malt finish. Standard stuff.

3.4 Sampler at BBC downtown. Pours a clear amber with minima head. Aroma is up front with hints of malt and a little caramel. The taste carries this malt through, but with a hoppy bite at the end for a crisp finish. It is interesting.

2.4 Pour from a 12 oz bottle. Slightly cloudy light brown brew with virtually no head. My sample had almost no carbonation - not sure if it had gone flat or if that was intentional. Taste is very nice and complex malts, sweet at the start with a surprising chocolate element later in the swallow. Not much overt hops in the finish but a little bitter kicks in to counter the generally sweet flavor. Overall what is here is tasty and good. I wish it was a little better carbonated.

3.1 Draft to taster at BBC. Looks solid; a transparent amberish-copper with sticky off-white lacing. Smells and tastes malty with chocolate and hop notes. Average on the palate. Decent.

2.9 Bottle. Pours copper with a medium white head. Aroma of caramel, toasted malts, light nuttiness and light spicy/flowery hops. Taste is moderately sweet caramel, toasted malts, spicy/floral hops. Body is a little thin with a finish of more toasted malts and caramel with a hint of grassy hops.

3.1 Draught from the brewpub in Louisville. Darker amber pour with a wisp of head. Nose is sweet German malts with a light hop profile. Simple, light, and nicely low abv.

3.0 Tap at BBC. Sugary odd brewhouse aroma. Dulled orange-brown. Steady white head. A soapy odd brown ale, not so impressive. Lacks real depth, medium bodied tease. Unimpressive.

2.8 Bottled as Amber Ale. It poured an amber color with a thin white head. The aroma was of mild caramel and light hops. The taste was malty and somewhat bland with mild caramel and a little cardboard. There was some mild bitterness on the back end.

2.7 Bottle. Lighter in color then I would have thought. Light brown in color. Some head. Tastes more like a Dutch Brown Ale than an Altbier. Aroma the same.

3.4 Clear medium orange amber, quick-to-disappear head and lots of lace spots. I haven’t much faith in BBC brews, but this is at least one exception. Taste is sweet caramel malt that grows through the palate to a dry bitter finish. The balance is is a little toward sweet, but not objectionable, especially since the flavor dissipates nicely, leaving me wanting another swig. Recommended.

2.0 Bottle. Sweet brown sugar and apple aroma with a faint odd chemical smell. Hazy amber with a moderate fizzy head. Malty with an underlying petroleum flavor. Medium body and carbonation.

2.2 Pours a moderate brown with almost no head. It has this weird dirty smell coming off of it that’s rather off-putting. Some caramel flavor up front with a kick of hops at the end.

2.9 Draft Clear amber pour with no head. Sweet caramel scent. Taste is same. Flat?

2.5 On tap at the brewpub at 3rd & Main. Pours deep golden with medium white head. Some lacing, light body, and medium carbonation. Taste is slightly toasted caramel malt and a hint of hops in the finish.

3.2 Draft in a pint glass - pours slightly hazy and caramel/honey in color with next to no head. Nose is malty like toffee. Aroma is a smoky caramel with a resin-y hop. Taste is sweet and ends with a hoppy finish. Tasty anda wee bit bold.

2.9 A hazy, copper pour with a large tan head. The aroma is mostly sweet caramel malt. The light body has a slick texture with soft carbonation. The taste is fairly bland with a dry finish.

2.8 Draft. Hazy, amber body. Frothy, white head, mostly diminishing. Moderate aroma of biscuit, toasted grain, nuts, caramel. The flavor is moderately sweet and lightly bitter. It finishes lightly to moderately sweet, lightly to moderately bitter and lightly acidic. Light to medium body, watery texture and lively carbonation. Lingering bitterness. Pretty straightforward, and average, amber ale.

3.2 Amber pour with light white head and lace. Caramel malt dominates the nose. Caramel malt with very light bitter. Thin and watery but a nice drinker.

3.1 12oz bottle. Aroma of light malts, and a little hops. Flavor forgettable. Like most german style beers, not the best.

2.2 Floral, citrus, and grain aroma. Amber with white head; decent lacing. Mild floral and bland. Lite and dry.

3.2 Tap. Poured a hazy, yellow/copper color. Aroma hoppy, sweet malts, touch of spices. Flavor was lightly toasted malts, bready, sweet. Clean finish.

3.0 Pours a cloudy orange, off white head minimal and quickly dissipates, light caramel slightly sweet aroma, watery mouth feel, slight hit of hops on the finish, pretty tame taste wise not much to talk about a bit of citrus.

3.9 Had this one as part of a sampler at the brewpub. Clear, medium reddish-brown pour, thin, off-white head. A nice, balanced caramel nose and some rosiness, with a slightly nutty taste that faded into a deep, rosy hoppiness that I really enjoyed. This was an excellent example of the style and, perhaps, my favorite beer at BBC.

3.5 Clear copper brown with a fizzy white head. Faint malty aroma and a nice caramel and nutty taste with some pleasant sharp brassy notes.

1.9 Funky nasty malt smell. English malt flavor, weak bite. Grassy hop finish. Doggy dog.

3.6 Enjoyed this one at Saffire in Franklin, TN, on the eve of a big project implementation with Affinion group. Aroma and flavor of rich roasted malt, lingering palate. Red brown color, tan head. Very rich and enjoyable

2.8 some maple syrup notes. minimal sweetness. a little thick and bitter. not very exciting.

3.4 BBC Altbier--German Style Amber Ale--2001 12 oz. Bottle. 5.40% ABV. 27 IBU’s. (3.75 / 5.0) Malt of the Earth Beer of the Month Club Selection. Clear rich bright amber color. Light lacy head. Malty cherry mild hop front. Dry sweet mild tangy smooth light toasted caramel biscuit body. Odd aged note. Mild hop light citrus biscuit end. Sampled 5/6/2003.

3.0 This is not a bad beer. I highly doubt it fits style but not a bad drinker by any means. It has a nice floral aroma that’s still subtle. try it.

3.0 clear amber/pinkish color with no head, aroma is a sweet, fluffy cotton-candy like malt with a hint of caramel. Taste is light, crisp malt with a little hop sharpness. This a good standard, malty flavor and hop sting, but body leaves a little to be desired. bottle from J Barleycorn’s, Nashville.