Sleigh'r Dark Doüble Alt Ale
Ninkasi Brewing Company
- From:
- Ninkasi Brewing Company
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- Altbier
Ranked #75 - ABV:
- 7.2%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #29,784 - Avg:
- 3.76 | pDev: 11.97%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 184
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 15, 2024
- Added:
- Jan 08, 2009
- Wants:
- 35
- Gots:
- 111
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
Called 'Dark Double Alt' on the label.
Seize the season with Sleigh'r. Layers of deeply toasted malt are balanced by just enough hop bitterness to make it deceivingly drinkable. Paired with a dry finish, Sleigh’r is anything but your typical winter brew.
An Alt ferments with Ale yeast at colder lagering temperatures. This effect gives Alts a more refined, crisp lager-like flavor than traditional ales. The Alt has been “Ninkasified” raising the ABV and IBUs. Sleigh'r has a deep, toasted malt flavor that finishes dry and balanced.
50 IBU
Seize the season with Sleigh'r. Layers of deeply toasted malt are balanced by just enough hop bitterness to make it deceivingly drinkable. Paired with a dry finish, Sleigh’r is anything but your typical winter brew.
An Alt ferments with Ale yeast at colder lagering temperatures. This effect gives Alts a more refined, crisp lager-like flavor than traditional ales. The Alt has been “Ninkasified” raising the ABV and IBUs. Sleigh'r has a deep, toasted malt flavor that finishes dry and balanced.
50 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by vurt from Oregon
3.43/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
12-ounce bottle from a six-pack picked up at the local Safeway. No date stamp on the bottle, though it's certainly possible there was one on the six-pack holder. Enjoyed in a nonic-style half-pint glass.
Look:
Rich auburn body with gleaming orange-amber highlights and a thick head of cream-colored foam on top. The body is clear, and the head shows nice retention through the first half of the glass. Nice lacing.
Smell:
Sweet malt and earthy hops. Notes of toasted wheat bread, brown sugar, apple skin. Starts sweet but dries out quickly to let the toasty and earthy notes move to the front.
Taste:
Though this is now called a "Winter Ale," the old "double alt" is not a bad description, if you squint and make allowances for a heavy-handed American interpretation. The color is in the ballpark, and it has a firm bitter finish like a good altbier. The hops are more earthy/herbal than citrusy, or piny. Malts are sweeter and roastier than I'd expect from an alt, but again they're more or less in the ballpark, and the sweetness gives way to a drying, bittersweet finish.
Feel:
Medium-heavy body with a slightly grainy texture. Carbonation starts off with large, cola-like bubbles, but calms down quickly in the glass. A soft glow of alcohol warmth is quite pleasant.
Overall:
Using Uerige as an altbier yardstick, Sleigh'r would fall between a Sticke and a Doppelsticke. I wouldn't swear it's the same beer it's always been, but it seems close to what I remember from years past. And the ABV hasn't changed. Regardless, Sleigh'r is still a satisfying and welcome winter warmer, no matter what style the marketing team at Great Frontier Holdings has opted to brand this as.
Dec 15, 2024Look:
Rich auburn body with gleaming orange-amber highlights and a thick head of cream-colored foam on top. The body is clear, and the head shows nice retention through the first half of the glass. Nice lacing.
Smell:
Sweet malt and earthy hops. Notes of toasted wheat bread, brown sugar, apple skin. Starts sweet but dries out quickly to let the toasty and earthy notes move to the front.
Taste:
Though this is now called a "Winter Ale," the old "double alt" is not a bad description, if you squint and make allowances for a heavy-handed American interpretation. The color is in the ballpark, and it has a firm bitter finish like a good altbier. The hops are more earthy/herbal than citrusy, or piny. Malts are sweeter and roastier than I'd expect from an alt, but again they're more or less in the ballpark, and the sweetness gives way to a drying, bittersweet finish.
Feel:
Medium-heavy body with a slightly grainy texture. Carbonation starts off with large, cola-like bubbles, but calms down quickly in the glass. A soft glow of alcohol warmth is quite pleasant.
Overall:
Using Uerige as an altbier yardstick, Sleigh'r would fall between a Sticke and a Doppelsticke. I wouldn't swear it's the same beer it's always been, but it seems close to what I remember from years past. And the ABV hasn't changed. Regardless, Sleigh'r is still a satisfying and welcome winter warmer, no matter what style the marketing team at Great Frontier Holdings has opted to brand this as.
Reviewed by mariposafan from Wisconsin
3.18/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.18/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Looks great - clear dark amber with a nice, though ephemeral, head.
Smells pretty good - toasty, caramel.
Tastes lousy - Too bitter, too much pine tree, too much hop aftertaste. Probably good for the IPA crowd.
Feel is decent - a little thin, but not too bad.
Overall a disappointment - for all of the label talk about malt character, the hops are overpowering. My first Ninkasi, and likely my last.
Dec 02, 2022Smells pretty good - toasty, caramel.
Tastes lousy - Too bitter, too much pine tree, too much hop aftertaste. Probably good for the IPA crowd.
Feel is decent - a little thin, but not too bad.
Overall a disappointment - for all of the label talk about malt character, the hops are overpowering. My first Ninkasi, and likely my last.
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon
4.12/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Clear rich amber/ruby red with a beige head that settles down to a thin lid and leaves good lacing behind
Aroma: Warm brown bread, rock candy, earthiness, a little toffee, and some spicy hop notes
Taste: Follows the nose well and more or less, in the same proportions I got in the aroma – bready/candy/earth dominate with toffee and spicy hops weaving in and out of the frame. Finishes with bread and toffee along with light earthy hop notes and mild bitterness
Mouthfeel: Full, medium-high carbonation, slightly chewy at times, and mild dryness on the finish
Overall: I dig it. Although hoppier than a traditional Altbier (though I know they no longer refer to this beer as a Double Alt), it’s Ninkasi so not surprising plus I like the overall depth of this beer. Need a malt and hop fix all together in a winter seasonal – give this a run and it won’t disappoint
Nov 16, 2020Aroma: Warm brown bread, rock candy, earthiness, a little toffee, and some spicy hop notes
Taste: Follows the nose well and more or less, in the same proportions I got in the aroma – bready/candy/earth dominate with toffee and spicy hops weaving in and out of the frame. Finishes with bread and toffee along with light earthy hop notes and mild bitterness
Mouthfeel: Full, medium-high carbonation, slightly chewy at times, and mild dryness on the finish
Overall: I dig it. Although hoppier than a traditional Altbier (though I know they no longer refer to this beer as a Double Alt), it’s Ninkasi so not surprising plus I like the overall depth of this beer. Need a malt and hop fix all together in a winter seasonal – give this a run and it won’t disappoint
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!