Duckstein Rotblondes Original
Duckstein GmbH

Duckstein Rotblondes OriginalDuckstein Rotblondes Original
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From:
Duckstein GmbH
 
Germany
Style:
Altbier
Ranked #76
ABV:
4.9%
Score:
81
Ranked #25,828
Avg:
3.53 | pDev: 11.9%
Reviews:
36
Ratings:
103
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 10, 2024
Added:
Sep 15, 2007
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  14
A unique style of beer making revived from a fifteenth century tradition gives Duckstein Original its distinctive taste. At 4.9% ABV this top-fermented speciality beer is matured in beechwood and is the perfect accompaniment to a wide range of foods.
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Ratings by hansavijaticar:
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Rated by hansavijaticar from Croatia (Hrvatska)

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

Jul 13, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.78 by louisnb

Feb 10, 2024
 
Rated: 3.5 by Eychung from New York

Oct 28, 2023
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.69/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
May 2006: 500 ml bottle, as "Duckstein Rotblondes Oberbräu", bought at KaDeWe, Berlin. Seems to be brewed at Holsten Brauerei, Hamburg (my bottle), as well as Feldschlösschen Braunschweig (both Carlsberg owned). Amber colour, large and lasting off-white head, some lacing. Caramel aroma with some flowery aromatic hops, notes of brown bread too. Moderate carbonation, soft malty flavour wth some brown bread notes, decent hops in the finish. Pleasant and easy drinking "altbier" (well, it’s top fermented, and it’s German).
May 30, 2023
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.87/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Served on tap in Berlin.

Dense, foaming head which leaves random spots and short streaks. Muddy brown color. Light passes but this is a cloudy beer.

Interesting smell of fermenting apples (slightly tart).

Brown bread initial taste with a decent body and a higher carbonation. Hop bitterness provides bitterness. The finish and aftertaste are shorter than expected with the bread flavor lingering longest.
May 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by FarmerF from Netherlands

Apr 10, 2023
 
Rated: 3.63 by SayBoom from Ukraine

Dec 27, 2022
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

3.78/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear, pale mahogany coloration with an amber sheen and a large, fluffy head. Smells of bready, grainy, toasted malt and earthy, herbal hops, with some nutty, woody accents coming through as well. Taste is a good balance of bready, grainy, toasted, slightly caramelly malt and herbal, earthy, slightly spicy hops, with hints of toffee, red berries and dark fruit: cranberry and raisin, as well as some nutty, woody accents. Finishes with a light/medium bitterness and some toasted malt, herbal hops and nutty accents lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

Just like with Hövels, this is another relatively widely available Altbier that refuses to call itself that for some reason. It's aged on beech wood and kinda styles itself as a premium beer, which is reflected in the price, although the wood-aging is very subdued in the taste and more of a marketing gimmick than anything else in my opinion. Just like with Hövels, this makes for an enjoyable example of the style despite not quite being up to par with the Düsseldorf Altbiers, although I'd probably rather have a Hövels from a value-for-money standpoint.
Oct 22, 2022
 
Rated: 3.28 by misteil from Ireland

May 01, 2022
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Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Duckstein GmbH “ Duckstein Rotblond Original”
,5L brown glass bottle coded “Mindestens haltbar bis: 22.06.22. 20:51 LDE02B/1/8”. Sampled 02.10.21
€2,09 @ REWE CITY, Hohe Str. 30a, Köln, DE

Look: Clear deep amber/copper, almost chestnut brown in color beneath a standard-sized head of white foam. Average head retention and lacing with limited amounts of spots and splashes.
Smell: Malty sweet with grainy, nutty, and lightly caramelish notes backed by a delicate fruitiness.
Taste: As the aroma suggests, it’s sweetish and malty but there’s also some apple-like fruitiness going on, and then leafy, peppery/spicy, and mildly herbal hops round it out. The bitterness is moderate and yet it remains perfectly balanced, and dry in the finish with the bitterness that’s there lingering. Sweetish upfront; caramelish, fruity, and a little leathery/earthy across the middle; and dry in the finish with lingering earthy, peppery, and herbal hops.
Feel: Medium-light in body but seemingly fuller, and smooth across the palate with a very fine-bubbled, seemingly natural, moderate carbonation.
Overall: I feel this beer is under-rated. Perhaps that’s because it’s being reviewed as an altbier against the fuller and richer altbiers from Düsseldorf. There are plenty of these beers in Germany that are meant as flavorful but easy-drinking, and this one certainly fits the bill.
Review #7,494
Oct 02, 2021
 
Rated: 2.75 by sanandreas

Mar 04, 2020
 
Rated: 3.69 by NorbertB1974 from Germany

Jan 29, 2020
Photo of JamFuel
Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden

3.91/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark reddish brown with fine, soapy head.

Smell is very malty with notes of brewer's yeast, rye, caramel and brown bread.

Taste is again, very malty with notes of brown bread, rye, yeast and hints of leather and raisins. Soft bitterness with a bit of florality to it. Great balance and very drinkable.

Mouthfeel is medium, well carbonated.

Overall, a very nice Alt, malty but with a bit of nuance.
Sep 15, 2019
Photo of Ciocanelu
Reviewed by Ciocanelu from Romania

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Amber color with beige head. Bready malt on the aroma with some woody/earthy hops. Taste follows with bread crust, toasted malts and some hop bitterness for balance.
Apr 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.4 by windowside from Germany

Nov 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.7 by hopnerd from Australia

Jul 14, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by jschott75 from Illinois

May 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by F_riedrich from Germany

Sep 11, 2017
 
Rated: 3.41 by BlackVeg from Germany

Aug 10, 2016
Photo of mkoneil1
Reviewed by mkoneil1 from Texas

4.28/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Probably one of my favorite beers in Germany, and I lived there for 4 years. Every time I am there on business in the north of Germany, I look for it. It is beech wood aged, which is not typical of German altbier, which gets it color from roasted malt. It is expensive as German beers go. If anyone knows if a source in the US, let me know. So far I haven't found it
Jul 03, 2016
Duckstein Rotblondes Original from Duckstein GmbH
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 103 ratings