Gordon Biersch Alt

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Altbier
San Jose, California USA

Serve in Kölsch/Altbier

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Pint glass from San Diego’s Mission Valley Brewpub. Served from tap to a pint glass. The pour was a medium brown color with some amber highlights. The head was off-white, creamy, ample and had good retention. The aroma was muted (probably because the beer was served way too cold) I detected a faint trace of molasses and some nuttiness. The flavor was rich with walnuts, roasted malts, anise, cloves and molasses. The mouthfeel was full, smooth and creamy. The finish was long with lingering biter walnuts. Overall: I was pleasantly surprises and impressed by this beer. Better than the average Gordon Biersch offering.

Okay. So mayhaps I was unduly influenced in my rating by the attractive lady behind the bar and her two lovely, large, lucious eyes (Caught you by surprise, didn’t I, RAYBOY01?), but I liked this beer.
It poured a clear brownish-copper body with a respectable, sustained pale beige head. Good lacing. The aroma was toasted grains, lightly roasted malt, a subdued caramel presence, and an earthy, herbal hop bitterness. The hoppy bitternes grew during the drinking and tipped the scale in its favor, but the rich maltiness, seasoned with black pepper, remained sturdy throughout. The finish was dry and peppery with an herbal/earthy bitterness. Nice.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Bolingbrook, IL<font size=-1>

medium amber color, little head or foam, on tap NOLA. lots of caramel malt, medium body. no hops reveal themselves, but then again - you can’t even sniff a hop in Nola anywhere. Drinkable, nothing off but nothing to write home about either.

Draught sample form New Orleans location. Light hops aroma. Light bit of funk with mild caramel. Reddish amber clear with no head. Medium watery body with medium carbonation. Starts dry with light sour mash character. Fairly banal ale with light nutty brown bitterness and mild acidity. Dull papery finish.

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..

Nice flavor, mellow grassy taste. Big fan of this. Washington, DC location. One of the best places to have a beer and casual early evening conversation in DC.

From a sampler at the Gordon Biersch DC location on September 4th, 2005. Bronze with a faint aroma. Indeed I stuck my nose into this several timea nd got nothing more than some sweet malts and light fruit. Taste is malty with light grassy notes and fruit (some citrus). Mild carbonation feel and a medium body. Finishes the same. Weak beer and a bit disappointing. However, it could be better with a full sample.

Copper with a ring of head. Mild aroma, and a low malt character, excpet for the color. Finishes clean and smooth without a lot of fuss and lower in carbonation than some of their other beers. This must be meant for the unadventurous types who want to think they’re taking a step up in the world. (on tap at downtown Washington, D.C. location)