Hövels Original
Hövels Hausbrauerei

Hövels OriginalHövels Original
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From:
Hövels Hausbrauerei
 
Germany
Style:
Altbier
Ranked #58
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
84
Ranked #22,185
Avg:
3.73 | pDev: 12.87%
Reviews:
50
Ratings:
138
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 21, 2023
Added:
Feb 13, 2005
Wants:
  16
Gots:
  19
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JonnoWillsteed:
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

3.33/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
L- No sediment so an easy pour, crystal clear mid-chestnut brown, with a 5mm just off-white fine-bubble head.
S- Nice trad-style balance of toasted grain and malts.
T- Hoppier and dryer than I was expecting from this colour and 5.5%
F- Carbonation is good in the mouth (and also still in the glass). It hasn't much 'meaty' body to it, it's pretty light, that brings more focus to the drying nature of the CO2.
O- I expect there's a season that would suit this beer though I'm not sure for me it's winter, where it looks good but comes over as rather thin and unrewarding in the taste/feel categories. I wouldn't buy this again.
BB: 03/2020. 500ml flip-top ceramic stoppered heavy bottle.
Apr 20, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of flyingpig
Reviewed by flyingpig from Scotland

3.36/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
500ml bottle from Beers of Europe (£3.69):
Clear & caramel coloured with a large, 2.5cm head that's foamy, slightly off-white with a few bubbles & good retention. Malty with some lager notes, grain, biscuit, faint herbal notes & the odd dar, Dried fruit at the end. The taste doesn't seem quite as complex, it's malty again with bread & biscuit flavours with a slightly hoppy finish, a medium body & a tiny bit of spice too.
Jul 21, 2023
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

3.82/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear, mahogany coloration with a medium, creamy head. Smells of grainy, bready malt and herbal hops. Taste is a great balance of grainy, bready, slightly caramelly malt and herbal, slightly floral hops, with fruity highlights of dark fruit and red berries; fig, redcurrant and some nutty accents. Finishes with a medium bitterness and some bready malt, herbal hops and dark/red fruit lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

Haven't had this in ages, but had kinda good memories of it and am glad to have tried it again. While it's not quite on the same level as the classic Düsseldorf Alts, it's certain the best widely distributed Altbier that I've come across so far, even though Hövels actually refuses to call it an Altbier for some reason. Nice balance of bready malts and herbal hops, with a little depth provided by some red/dark fruit and nutty accents. Very nice mouthfeel and beautiful coloration and head as well.
Oct 15, 2022
 
Rated: 3.98 by Eman17 from Illinois

Sep 16, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by FZR23 from Romania

Jan 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.49 by Biergerd from Germany

Dec 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.04 by NorbertB1974 from Germany

Nov 06, 2020
 
Rated: 3.7 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Nov 25, 2018
Photo of HermannTheGerman
Reviewed by HermannTheGerman from Germany

4.1/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Great brew! Somewhat between a Altbier and a Brown Ale. Nice differentiated smell of malts. Hoppy aftertaste. Easy to drink but not simple. I love it,
Jul 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by jschott75 from Illinois

May 01, 2018
 
Rated: 3.36 by SebTBL from Canada (QC)

Jan 09, 2017
Photo of Rand_Schoeb
Rated by Rand_Schoeb from Connecticut

5/5  rDev +34%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A great dark Amber beer from a small brewery in the great beer and soccer city of Dortmund.
Aug 31, 2016
Photo of Beginner2
Rated by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Listed in the "1001 Beers To Taste Before You Die", my review and possible re-rating comes after I Have this again.
May 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.87 by windowside from Germany

Apr 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.31 by DuncanMcBommer from Germany

Mar 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.99 by Cesroz from California

Sep 21, 2015
Photo of drmeto
Reviewed by drmeto from Germany

3.4/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
L:
-pours a clear amber-red with a medium, foamy,gray head
-medium to high carbonation visible
S:
-grassy,caramel,bready,spicy,elderberries,raisins,slight chocolate
T:
-caramel,bready,nutty,metallic
-long-lingering light to medium carbonation
F:
-medium carbonation
-light to medium body
-faint alcohol warmth
O:
Hövel's refuses to call this an Altbier, but it is one.
o.k. overall
Sep 17, 2015
Photo of jcance
Reviewed by jcance from Texas

4.61/5  rDev +23.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
A great beer with many different flavors in the background of a solid, sweet, and creamy essence. The mouthfeel is divine, and the flavor has good depth. At 1.19 euro for a half liter, it is quite expensive, but it is hard to drink it slow as such. A very inviting beer I would recommend to anyone.
Aug 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by Fettpopps from Massachusetts

Jul 04, 2015
Photo of jesseejames
Reviewed by jesseejames from Montana

4.68/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
picked this up in flip top from the supermarket in Bad Bentheim just to try something different. Pours a brown red gorgeous color bee with a white slightly brownish head that lingers and slight lacing. Wonderful nose of malts and grain and the taste is of carmel and nuts. A nice mix of carmel malt and hops for a wonderful mouth and dry finish. I really like this beer-could drink too much!
May 22, 2015
Hövels Original from Hövels Hausbrauerei
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 138 ratings