Full Sail Brewers Share Phil’s Existential Alt

Brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: Altbier
Hood River, Oregon USA

Serve in Kölsch/Altbier

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Bottle. Light brown with pillowy tan head and decent lacing. Smells like a sticky bin with raisins and metal. Tastes sweet initially then a mild hop kicks in. Full mouth feel, mild hop finish with a hint of pithiness. Not bad.

Poured a finger of head on a dark amber colored body. Looks great. It smells old (it is an altbier after all). Seriously, it has a good barnyard/hay and earth smell to it. It’s fairly complex for an alt with some mild maltiness to start, then some hop spice and finishes with a bit of burnt wood. The texture is crisp with moderate carbonation. I haven’t tasted many, but this is the best altbier I’ve had.

22oz Bottle. The pour was a clear caramel brown with a large (2-3 finger) off white pillowy head that was mostly lasting, finally receding to a large cap with excellent streaky lacing. The aroma was nice and enticing with a toasted sweet grain malt, light floral hops and a mild doughy yeast and had hints of caramel, honey and a slight fruity ester. The taste was good and malty with a nice caramel sweetness in the beginning, and then took on a mild fruity hoppiness with a slight bitterness creeping in at the end. The flavor hung on for a good duration proceeding the swallow with a mild citrus peel bitterness lingering for a little while longer. Mouthfeel was a few steps above light in body with a smooth creamy texture and a somewhat mild carbonation. Overall probably the best Altbier I have tasted to date, it was malty-sweet with a good hoppiness and a great drinkability. There is not much more one could ask for within this style...

Bottle shared Marcus. Color is dark brown. Aroma is coffee and toffee. Taste is similar to aroma with some more sweetness.

Dark copper. Drinks like a bock with hops. Caramel malts and hazelnut flavors on the palate. Firm bitterness on the finish. Well put together.

From a growler fill at the brewery in Hood River. Pours deep amber with a one inch head and modest lacings. Aroma is malty. The taste is tangy bitter hops with enough tasted malts to balance the flavor. Finish is bitter and smooth. Good session brew at 5.1% abv. Good job Phil!

Bottle from Safeway. Clear, medium amber pour with a medium, off-white head fading to short but with good retention. Nose is lightly malty sweet. Medium body with moderate carbonation. Toast, medium-roast malt, some fruits and cedar. Finish is medium, dry and tasty, with a light sweetness lingering. Not a big altbier fan, but I reckon this one is pretty solid.

Aroma of graham crackers, lemon, coriander, and cinnamon. Copper colored and very clear. Tastes medium sweet, lightly sour, and medium bitter. Not bad, but don’t want the whole bomber.

Malty nose with some caramel notes; it’s heavier on the biscuit/bread than on the caramel/sweet side. There is also a dash of earthy/noble hop character. The taste is a creamy concoction of bread and caramel, with a little bit of biscuit at the end and a balanced bitterness. More tilted to the caramel side than the aroma, I rather like the flavor. Mouthfeel is medium with a good, creamy carbonation. I like it.

Bottle. Poured clear dark copper color with an average frothy off-white head that was mostly lasting with excellent lacing. Moderate toasted caramel malt and floral hop aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and soft carbonation. Medium toasted balanced flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration.