Southampton Altbier

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Altbier
Southampton, New York USA

A little more on the sweet malty side the classic Dusseldorf examples I have had but there is plenty of hops to back this malt monster up. September 2008 on tap at the brewpub and just as solid. Page 435 of Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide and only 190 of 500 Classic Brews to go.

At the Oak Room in Athens, OH. Pours a bit cloudy, with a loose off-white head. Roasted malt aroma, with caramel and toffee as well. Medium body, with a almost molasses flavor. Fairly sweet but, this beer has no lingering sweet finish. Perhaps a bit of cardboard in the finish. As an Altbier, this is true to style.

From a 12 oz. bottle with a short blurb on the neck label, no freshness date, sampled at cellar temperature in a stange glass. Poured a clear golden auburn with a frothy, foamy off-white head that slowly settled into a thin sudsy lacing. Light, faint fruity aroma with a little nuttiness, sweet malts, bare hints of caramel and floral. Airy feel, but medium carbonation and a softly crisp, thin light bodied mouthfeel. A sour grape fruitiness was the first thing I noticed in the taste, grainy with a watery touch of sweet caramel toffee, salty nuts, some lemon citric bitterness towards the end, and a dry, thin dirty grain finish. This is the first beer from Southampton that I haven’t been impressed with, just not a good altbier.

More thn the sum of its parts, I think. Brown with a reddish tint, nice spongy head. Aroma is rye or pumpernickel bread, maybe a touch of black pepper, too. Nice bread, sweet, with notes of earth (doesn’t that sound the title of some really pretentious Moody Blues Album? But I digress...) rye, and subtle hints of molassess and even a little honey. Very enjoyable.

Pours a copper color with an off-white head. Aroma is of caramel, lots of sweet malts, nuts, and some fruit. Flavor starts off with the sweeter tones of the caramel, malts, and fruit, and finishes with a slight bitterness from some floral hops. I was more impressed with some of their other brews but that’s not really saying much.

Pours a rich rust color with an initial head of tan fluff that whittles away to a meager collar. Little lacing as the glass is left relatively clean. Aromas give the feel of some nuttiness, a bit of toffee, and a fairly healthy dose of caramel. Flavors of moderately husky graininess, nut, bread. Hops are noted in a floral note that interjects with each swallow. Clean finish, thin body. Drinkable. Not quite sure what the big secret is...

Bottle. Deep amber pour under a small off white head with very little lacing. Bready aroma with a touch of citrus. Prominant malty flavor with thin ribbons of toasted oat, nuts and some caramel. Thin texture and forgettable but clean finish. Secret?... maybe. Special? ... No.

12oz - Dark red pour under prolific light tan head. Spicy, tomato sauce-like nose. Refreshing mouthfeel of light malt. Nice.