Balt Altbier
Union Craft Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Altbier
Ranked #47 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #28,119 - Avg:
- 3.8 | pDev: 10%
- Reviews:
- 39
- Ratings:
- From:
- Union Craft Brewing Company
- Maryland, United States
- Avail:
- Year-round
- Wants
- 7
- Gots
- 42
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
Notes:
A Brewing Tradition
This German-style Altbier is our nod to an old world, old school ale. The word “Alt” is German for “old”, and refers to the traditional style of brewing before lager yeast was discovered. Balt is a dark, copper colored brew with a creamy head, a gentle bitterness and a clean, dry finish. Prost Hon!
BITTERNESS (IBU): 45
COLOR: Copper/Amber
MALT: Pilsner, Munich,Cara Munich, Carafa
HOPS: Perle,Tettnang
YEAST: German Alt
This German-style Altbier is our nod to an old world, old school ale. The word “Alt” is German for “old”, and refers to the traditional style of brewing before lager yeast was discovered. Balt is a dark, copper colored brew with a creamy head, a gentle bitterness and a clean, dry finish. Prost Hon!
BITTERNESS (IBU): 45
COLOR: Copper/Amber
MALT: Pilsner, Munich,Cara Munich, Carafa
HOPS: Perle,Tettnang
YEAST: German Alt
Reviews: 39
| Ratings: 196
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Reviews by mrn1ceguy:
mrn1ceguy from Illinois
3.5/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Feb 12, 2015
3.5/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Feb 12, 2015
More User Reviews:
maximum12 from Minnesota
3.65/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Lucular for this undated 12 oz. can that been hiding in the fridge since it’s arrival. I had the pleasure of having Kolsch in Cologne, but not Altbier in Dusseldorf. I intend to fix that, someday.
Pour is lighter than expected, dark orange, plenty of carbonation. Nose is dominated by chestnuts roasting on an open fire, bit of grain leafs. Leaves. They have leaves, right? Not bad.
Balt is creamier than A Cherry Berry suicide. Lovely dark malts, enough nuts to - is that a squirrel I hear chewing through the wall? The middle rolls in with sweet malts, slight roast, & a slight earthy bitterness. Slight spice on the end, though it’s the nutmeat that sticks with you.
This seems like a good beer for an early October night out on the deck with a dead cow smoking on the grill. Simple & direct. Good, solid beer.
Jan 16, 2016
3.65/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Lucular for this undated 12 oz. can that been hiding in the fridge since it’s arrival. I had the pleasure of having Kolsch in Cologne, but not Altbier in Dusseldorf. I intend to fix that, someday.
Pour is lighter than expected, dark orange, plenty of carbonation. Nose is dominated by chestnuts roasting on an open fire, bit of grain leafs. Leaves. They have leaves, right? Not bad.
Balt is creamier than A Cherry Berry suicide. Lovely dark malts, enough nuts to - is that a squirrel I hear chewing through the wall? The middle rolls in with sweet malts, slight roast, & a slight earthy bitterness. Slight spice on the end, though it’s the nutmeat that sticks with you.
This seems like a good beer for an early October night out on the deck with a dead cow smoking on the grill. Simple & direct. Good, solid beer.
Jan 16, 2016
NumberNone from Maryland
4.09/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A: Pours a dark brownish amber color with a good bubbly ivory-colored head with decent carbonation.
S: Malt, caramel, hops, dark fruit, brown sugar, slight wheat, bread/biscuit, touch of floral.
T: Toasty malt, slight hops, burnt caramel, cherry, bread/biscuit, slight spice.
M: Mostly smooth on the palate with a good touch of bitterness near the end.
O: A nice tasting, malty altbier with good flavors of bread/biscuit, dark fruit, and brown sugar. Somewhat reminiscent of Brewer's Art Resurrection, though with a bit more dark fruit and a touch more bitterness, and more of a lagery wheat feel. Quite drinkable. Nice version of a not often seen style. Brewed right around the corner from where I grew up.
Jul 15, 2013
4.09/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A: Pours a dark brownish amber color with a good bubbly ivory-colored head with decent carbonation.
S: Malt, caramel, hops, dark fruit, brown sugar, slight wheat, bread/biscuit, touch of floral.
T: Toasty malt, slight hops, burnt caramel, cherry, bread/biscuit, slight spice.
M: Mostly smooth on the palate with a good touch of bitterness near the end.
O: A nice tasting, malty altbier with good flavors of bread/biscuit, dark fruit, and brown sugar. Somewhat reminiscent of Brewer's Art Resurrection, though with a bit more dark fruit and a touch more bitterness, and more of a lagery wheat feel. Quite drinkable. Nice version of a not often seen style. Brewed right around the corner from where I grew up.
Jul 15, 2013
BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia
3.93/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the can, it pours a solid amber with a nice thick off-white head. Pleasant scent of toasted malt and caramel. Taste is similar, with a nice light bitterness. Yum!
Dec 14, 2017
3.93/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the can, it pours a solid amber with a nice thick off-white head. Pleasant scent of toasted malt and caramel. Taste is similar, with a nice light bitterness. Yum!
Dec 14, 2017
Theheroguy from Maryland
3.86/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Reminds me of an English pale ale. It is earthy and little sweet. Hops are on the back end.
Overall it is a very subtle and smooth very well balanced. That being said taste wise it isn't really exceptional. If you're a real fan of the style I'd try it but for someone like me I think $10 a six pack is just a bit too much for this.
Aug 05, 2013
3.86/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Reminds me of an English pale ale. It is earthy and little sweet. Hops are on the back end.
Overall it is a very subtle and smooth very well balanced. That being said taste wise it isn't really exceptional. If you're a real fan of the style I'd try it but for someone like me I think $10 a six pack is just a bit too much for this.
Aug 05, 2013
Sludgeman from District of Columbia
3.79/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Feb 09, 2017
3.79/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Feb 09, 2017
thatoneguymike from Georgia
3.53/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Jul 03, 2015
3.53/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Jul 03, 2015
kevintaraross from Maryland
3.06/5 rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Aug 31, 2017
3.06/5 rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Aug 31, 2017
Big_V from Maryland
3.5/5 rDev -7.9%
A-dark caramel about 1 finger head
S-mostly pine,grass,and earthly notes
T-getting some hps up front followed by an piney bitterness. Finishes kind of sweet with the malts.
M-light and smooth mouthful, med body and carbonation
O-not bad pinic beer. Could see myself knocking some down after mowing the lawn.
Nov 22, 2014
3.5/5 rDev -7.9%
A-dark caramel about 1 finger head
S-mostly pine,grass,and earthly notes
T-getting some hps up front followed by an piney bitterness. Finishes kind of sweet with the malts.
M-light and smooth mouthful, med body and carbonation
O-not bad pinic beer. Could see myself knocking some down after mowing the lawn.
Nov 22, 2014
Damian74 from South Carolina
3.43/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Nov 24, 2016
3.43/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Nov 24, 2016
Seanecy from Virginia
2.39/5 rDev -37.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
Oct 05, 2015
2.39/5 rDev -37.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
Oct 05, 2015
delta490 from Virginia
3.65/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours an almost crystal clear medium-dark copper. The head is a fizzy light tan that has barely any retention. The aroma is malty, bready and a little sweet. The taste is also malty, with similar qualities to the aroma. There's a slightly metallic quality on the finish after the first sip but it eventually disappears. The body is lighter and easy drinking with just a hint of carbonation.
Dec 06, 2015
3.65/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours an almost crystal clear medium-dark copper. The head is a fizzy light tan that has barely any retention. The aroma is malty, bready and a little sweet. The taste is also malty, with similar qualities to the aroma. There's a slightly metallic quality on the finish after the first sip but it eventually disappears. The body is lighter and easy drinking with just a hint of carbonation.
Dec 06, 2015
Mongrel from Maryland
3.74/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A - amber with a short, sudsy off-white head.
S - smells sweet and a little chalky with a faint whiff of banana.
T - tastes like an intriguing mix between an amber lager and a Belgian witbier. Sweet and a little syrupy with caramel malts at first, but hints of Belgian spice follow - vanilla, clove mainly. Also a touch of tart apple.
Mouthfeel is medium and a little syrupy for a second, but turns soft and slightly chalky, which is another interesting element of this beer and another strange tie between an amber lager and Belgian.
Overall, an interesting, easy-drinking amber ale that could sub in nicely for more boring party beers like Yuengling or Blue Moon.
Jan 21, 2014
3.74/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A - amber with a short, sudsy off-white head.
S - smells sweet and a little chalky with a faint whiff of banana.
T - tastes like an intriguing mix between an amber lager and a Belgian witbier. Sweet and a little syrupy with caramel malts at first, but hints of Belgian spice follow - vanilla, clove mainly. Also a touch of tart apple.
Mouthfeel is medium and a little syrupy for a second, but turns soft and slightly chalky, which is another interesting element of this beer and another strange tie between an amber lager and Belgian.
Overall, an interesting, easy-drinking amber ale that could sub in nicely for more boring party beers like Yuengling or Blue Moon.
Jan 21, 2014
Balt Altbier from Union Craft Brewing Company
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
196 ratings
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