Gordon Biersch Alt

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Altbier
Palo Alto, California USA

On tap in Atlanta location. Always nice to try a new alt, as it is a style I enjoy and would like to see more of around. Copper color, thin but lasting white head, clear. Aroma was of clean malt, faintly nutty, with an undefined hop bitterness. Flavor was interesting - rather sweet malts were a bit out of style - an alt should, in my humble opinion, be quite malty, but also quite dry. The hops added some balancing bitterness, but not enough to dry things out. In fact, it was in some ways a bit like a Cali common. Inoffensive, but perhaps a touch under attenuated. Didn’t hate this by any means, but I didn’t order a second either.

Draft at brewpub in Columbus, OH. Poured clear brown color with an average fizzy off-white head that was mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate toasted caramel malt aroma. Medium body. Medium toasted balanced flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. I would recommend this to a freind.

On tap in Columbus Ohio - Pours caramel in color with a short tan head that stays well. Good aromas of caramel, slight chocolate, and a touch of raisin.. Flavor is good and malty as well. Caramel, a little chocolate, a lot of raisin and a touch of german hops at the finish. Medium body with lively carbonation and a soft mouthfeel. I found this pretty tasty in spite of some of the ratings here..

Yellow-brown with a thin white head. Aroma of caramel, sweet malts and mild hops. Taste of floral hops, lemon, light caramel with a mild bitter finish. Drinkable and forgettable.

On tap at New Orleans location. Pours a dark brown color with reddish highlights and one finger tan head. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of nuts, caramel, honey, some fresh fruit and floral hops. Flavor is sweet and malty with a higher hop presence than I would expect for this style along with notse of caramel, roasted malty, some hints of toffee and coffee. Generally medium body with a some hoppy finish.

On tap. Pours with a dark hazy brown body and a tan head. Aroma of caramel, dark fruit, estery, tobacco. Taste is caramel, grain, husky, dark fruit. Light bubbles, crisp finish.

Draught at the DC location. Brown with a fluffy beige head. Light molasses and earthy hop aroma. They served it ice cold so it took awhile to come through. The server described it as the hoppyest of their beers, and while it did have some spicy hop flavor and respectable bitterness, it was far from a German IPA. A bit of caramel and toasted malt sweetness. Strikes a good balance. Not great, but respectable from such a mainstream brewpub.

Location: We have a bunch of these in the metro DC area, I think I’ve prob been to 3 of them, including the one in "Downtown Rockville" that I visit pretty often, I’ve had this one on tap there

Overall Impression: Another decent offering from GB, this is one of their seasonals, and it’s got some hop distinction, but overall its a pretty average brew.