Schlafly Altbier

Brewed by Saint Louis Brewery
Style: Altbier
Maplewood, Missouri USA

Serve in Kölsch/Altbier

Great hop aroma very tasty spring beer.

Tasted on-tap 9/17/2011 at the Hop in the City Festival in a clean half-pint taster glass. Alt means old in German, in other words: the original cool, clean, refreshing German recipe before new-fangled lager brewing displaced it. As such, I think of alts as typically neutral, as close to lagers as you can get with ale yeast. Schlafly’s version is better than that, better-than-style. Crisp and smooth, appropriate use of German noble hops. An excellent balance of pronounced malt sweetness and noble hops. Very satisfying.

UPDATED: MAR 22, 2009 Pours dark copper with an off-white head. The aroma has caramel malt, moderate amount of fruitiness and heavily toasted malt. Medium body with a bit of sharp carbonation that accentuates the flavor. The flavor starts with heavily toasted malt with smooth dry caramel. The finish is grainy, spicy and dry. Very enjoyable alt. (7/4/4/3/15 - 3.6)
rerate for new reformulated improved version. There is not a lot to update from the original notes really, but it has been been redone and everything is better. I’d say this is easily the best US version of the style I’ve had (not that there are many). If you are in the STL area around my rerate date of this - go to the Tap Room and have it - very well done version.

tap-hop in the city-pours copper amber with a small white soapy head. carmely malt and funky yeast character predominate the aromas. lots of caramel malts. the flavors are mostly malty with notes of carmel, chocolate and lightly toasty. good body-full and a nice palate. some decent grassy hop notes on the finish with a touch of earthy hops as well. pretty damn good alt!

Sweet caramel and malt aroma, festive and sweet grass as well. Bright orange and clear appearance. Grainy and sweet like the aroma, but more subdued. Quite refreshing.

Pour is a almost bright red with a white head. Aroma is caramel and hops. Flavor is a nice mix of hops and roasted malts that leaves a nice nutty aftertaste after the swallow. This could be one of the best Alt’s I have ever had.

Pours a reddish hue ith a very lacy head. Aroma is sweet toffee and mild hop pepper. Very caramel malt profile with a medium hop spice, sweet and smooth. Like their pale ale, only with fewer pale malts and more caramel malts.

Sampler at the W&C in Ballwin, Mo. The color was almost bright red with a white head. The aroma was caramel and hops. The flavor was a nice mix of hops and roasted malts. This was a very decent Altbier.