Alternate Dimension
Trader Joe's Brewing Company

Alternate DimensionAlternate Dimension
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From:
Trader Joe's Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Altbier
ABV:
5.6%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.65 | pDev: 10.14%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
73
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 23, 2020
Added:
Jan 05, 2018
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  13
No description / notes.
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by chinchill:
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.94/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle with a BB date stamp of June 2018.
Pours clear but very dark, with a reddish brown body topped by a beige head. The head has good retention and leaves both sliding sheets and some lingering, sticky lacing.
Aroma: moderately strong for style with spicy hops dominating.
Flavor: a fine mix of nutty malts and spicy hops with subte dried fruit notes and faint earthiness.
Feel: notably smooth with appropriate medium-light carbonation.
Overall: a fine version of a rare style at a bargain price.
Apr 18, 2018
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by mblakesley from California

Feb 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by bigaddy from Michigan

Feb 20, 2020
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

3.92/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter via a friend from work---Cheers Jim!
This mighty nice little alt pours a medium dark brown with a nice head of
off white foam that settles to a thick ring, thin light dusty layer, and sports
some nice sudsy lacing. Nose of roasted nutty malts, subtle coffee, subtle
char, light notes of dark breaded malts, and subtle herbal notes. Flavors
surpass the nose with a mild touch of chocolate, balanced dark breaded malt
flavors, touches of coffee, light char, and dark tea notes with balanced herbal
hops. Nice mouth feel; medium light body, medium carbonation, and a
moderately dry finish.

Overall, a SOLID alt I would definitely try next time you are at
a Trader Joe's.

Cheers
Jan 28, 2020
Photo of AleManDan
Rated by AleManDan from California

4.07/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
I loved this! Flavorful and medium bodied with plenty of hops and then a fun, dry finish. What the?! I need to try more altbiers!
Nov 24, 2019
Photo of BlackBeerDown
Rated by BlackBeerDown from Arkansas

4.55/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Good Altbier. Now that we got a Trader Joe's, I will be drinking this early and often.
Nov 21, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by BlueSpader from Washington

Nov 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.25 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Nov 09, 2019
 
Rated: 3.68 by jstern from California

Oct 29, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by eldoctorador from Chile

Oct 25, 2019
 
Rated: 3.58 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Oct 20, 2019
 
Rated: 3.49 by IRONRakkasan from California

Oct 02, 2019
 
Rated: 2.78 by Branlott42 from Missouri

Sep 22, 2019
 
Rated: 3.93 by j0hnc2468 from New York

Sep 21, 2019
Photo of Pegasus
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Dark amber body, opaque to light, and verging on black, sports a dense light tan head of an inch or so, with excellent retention. Belgian-style lacing adorns the glass walls.

Aroma: Burnt caramel and dark bread dominate the aroma. There is a slight roasted nut character, as well.

Taste: The taste begins with slightly burnt caramel and dark bread notes. As the taste progresses, there is a hint of roasted nuts,, as well as the crust of toasted dark bread. Later in the taste, the hops, mild and herbal, begin to assert. Finishes with an earthy and lightly charred note.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, and very full, with faint, delicate carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: Very nice, and quite a bargain at $6.49 for a six-pack.

Presentation: Packaged in a standard twelve-ounce brown glass longneck bottle, with a pop off crown. Served in a South American-style Pilsener glass.
Jul 07, 2019
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

3.8/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Pours a dark, black cherry, coca cola color, but even darker with a mild tan head. SRM of 22. (4.00)

Aroma: Heavy aroma of deep charcoal, baked caramel, cinnamon bread, molasses, grass, a touch of dark red fruit, finishing with a smooth molasses finish. Definite smokey qualities. (4.00)

Taste: Woodsy upfront. Then caramel, licorice, and rich red apple. Tons of Munich malts and woodsy notes. Licorice? Molasses? You bet. Roasty toffee & heavy caramel, and some burnt toast too leaving a pleasant bitterness. A nice smokey tobacco in the middle and end. Finishes mostly sweet, but dark fruit, hop bitterness is definitely present. A touch of cocoa. A lot of molasses and tobacco flavor. Sort of reminds me of a cocoa and smokey flavored Anchor Steam (3.75)

Feel: Lighter bodied, low carbonation, but has a decent body. (3.50)

Compared with Anchor Steam 3/19/20: Pours a much darker color. More roasty cocoa, cinnamon, french toast rather than red fruit and pine. Flavor is more roasty and smokey cocoa, cinnamon, French toast rather than red fruit and caramel. Similar caramel notes though which makes it difficult to distinguish. A more bitter and cleaner finish rather than malty. Similar and might be worth another comparison sometime.

Compared to Trader Joe's Dark Lager 4/11/20: Pours a darker color. Stronger aromas. More smokey tobacco and molasses. Less caramel notes. Although finishes heavier, fuller, and sweeter. Can't say there's a winner.

Overall: A very nice, and heavy-hitting Altbier. It has the strong, delicious Munich malt flavors. If there's not baked caramel is it really a Munich malt? To me it tastes like molasses, smoking tobacco, & a caramel body. Decent hop bitterness, but more subdued than an American amber. Yes, drinks like a more hop focused and and darker and sweeter than a California common. Has a definite smokey quality. Tobacco, molasses on top of a German malt and caramel foundation. (Final Rating: 3.80)
May 08, 2019
Photo of secondtooth
Reviewed by secondtooth from Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Very dark brown with thick khaki head and lovely, detailed lace.

Aroma: Toasty malts, not bad.

Taste: Malty but not sweet. Hints of dark fruit lurking underneath. Solid and enjoyable.
May 02, 2019
Photo of sokol_1993
Rated by sokol_1993 from California

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Too viscous and smokey.
Apr 15, 2019
 
Rated: 2.89 by coachdiarti from New York

Apr 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.34 by Walkinbeauty from Connecticut

Apr 05, 2019
Alternate Dimension from Trader Joe's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 73 ratings