Organic Münster Alt | Brauerei Pinkus Mueller
Brewed by:
Brauerei Pinkus Mueller
Germany
pinkus-mueller.de
Style: Altbier
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.10%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by Bierman9 on 04-16-2002
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 271 | Ratings: 396
4.26/5 rDev +17.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
APPEARANCE: 2 Fingers of white, foamy head that linger and leave a thick layer on top of the beer, with nice thick lacing down the glass. The color is a mustard yellow up to the light with a few medium bubbles rising and the beer is very hazy.
AROMA: Lots of grassy hops. Buscuity, bready, cracker like. Hint of citrus.
TASTE: Good mix of cracker, bready malt and grassy hops. Slight citrus but mild, lemony.
FEEL: Soft, average carbonation, quite dry
OVERALL: Nice beer. Not super crisp, but refreshing, has a very soft feel. Thumbs up.
★ 537 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
APPEARANCE: 2 Fingers of white, foamy head that linger and leave a thick layer on top of the beer, with nice thick lacing down the glass. The color is a mustard yellow up to the light with a few medium bubbles rising and the beer is very hazy.
AROMA: Lots of grassy hops. Buscuity, bready, cracker like. Hint of citrus.
TASTE: Good mix of cracker, bready malt and grassy hops. Slight citrus but mild, lemony.
FEEL: Soft, average carbonation, quite dry
OVERALL: Nice beer. Not super crisp, but refreshing, has a very soft feel. Thumbs up.
★ 537 characters
3.9/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Limited experience with altbiers as a style, but this particular entry both looks and drinks a lot more like a kolsch than an altbier--light-ish gold/amber colour (rather cloudy, turbid, almost orange juice-y), relatively little head, and on the nose and taste a lot of the light, fruity, floral notes I associate with the kolsch as a style. The only difference is a wee bit of toasted malt backbone on the taste, and a slightly sweeter, richer body than I get from most kolsch beers. Perhaps the similarity stems from the fact that this isn't a Dusseldorf alt, but one from Munster? Who knows.
Still, tasty beer, however you want to classify it.
★ 647 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Limited experience with altbiers as a style, but this particular entry both looks and drinks a lot more like a kolsch than an altbier--light-ish gold/amber colour (rather cloudy, turbid, almost orange juice-y), relatively little head, and on the nose and taste a lot of the light, fruity, floral notes I associate with the kolsch as a style. The only difference is a wee bit of toasted malt backbone on the taste, and a slightly sweeter, richer body than I get from most kolsch beers. Perhaps the similarity stems from the fact that this isn't a Dusseldorf alt, but one from Munster? Who knows.
Still, tasty beer, however you want to classify it.
★ 647 characters
3.68/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Reviewed in Roger Protz' CAMRA classic "300 Beers To Try Before You Die!"
It also is reviewed in the "1001.'
This Alt arguably does not need to be on that list, but seems to be because the brewer specializes in using organic ingredients; which is reason enough.
It was a decent Alt, refreshing and balanced and slightly lighter than the style made famous by Dusseldorf. And as U.S. brewers prove: every style is subject to interpretation.
★ 439 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Reviewed in Roger Protz' CAMRA classic "300 Beers To Try Before You Die!"
It also is reviewed in the "1001.'
This Alt arguably does not need to be on that list, but seems to be because the brewer specializes in using organic ingredients; which is reason enough.
It was a decent Alt, refreshing and balanced and slightly lighter than the style made famous by Dusseldorf. And as U.S. brewers prove: every style is subject to interpretation.
★ 439 characters
3.93/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500ml bottle poured into Sam Adams pint glass.
Pours a hazy medium straw yellow with one finger of bone white head that leaves cool twisted mangrove root lace as it recedes.
Smells of mild pale malt, lemon, soft phenolic yeast, muddled fruitiness and grassy noble hoppiness.
Tastes of pastry-like pale malt, peach and pear, tart citrus and more leafy, grassy noble hops.
Feels light and fuzzy. Medium-light with frothy carbonation. Finishes faintly sweet.
Verdict: Highly recommended. Unusually light for an altbier, but I'm alright with that.
★ 548 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500ml bottle poured into Sam Adams pint glass.
Pours a hazy medium straw yellow with one finger of bone white head that leaves cool twisted mangrove root lace as it recedes.
Smells of mild pale malt, lemon, soft phenolic yeast, muddled fruitiness and grassy noble hoppiness.
Tastes of pastry-like pale malt, peach and pear, tart citrus and more leafy, grassy noble hops.
Feels light and fuzzy. Medium-light with frothy carbonation. Finishes faintly sweet.
Verdict: Highly recommended. Unusually light for an altbier, but I'm alright with that.
★ 548 characters
3.05/5 rDev -16%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I’m used to a darker, maltier altbier (Diebels), however this is a nice change, and reminds me more of a kolsch. Golden in color with fast disappearing head.Smell sis malt and some citrus. Taste is sweet, citrusy with a malt base.Very different indeed....
★ 257 characters
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I’m used to a darker, maltier altbier (Diebels), however this is a nice change, and reminds me more of a kolsch. Golden in color with fast disappearing head.Smell sis malt and some citrus. Taste is sweet, citrusy with a malt base.Very different indeed....
★ 257 characters
3.5/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Straight "3.5's" across the board for me. Sampled yesterday while grilling on the upper patio deck on 10/11/15. Comes in a 500ml (16.9 ounce) bottle that I picked up at the new World Market this past Friday night in Omaha for $3.49. Bottle chilled down to 36 degrees F in my beer cooler and poured in to a .5L "ROCK BOTTOM MUG CLUB" handled-glass stein.
Brew pours a slightly hazy straw-yellow in color with a good 3-finger foamy/fizzy white head that settles down to just a few mm after a short while. Some streaky lacing was seen when sipped that stuck to the sides of the glass. Aroma is of yeast and light citrus hops for the most part. Pretty much is also said for the taste with a good amount of 'grain' taste. Finished slightly dry. Lighter side of medium-bodied with good carbonation. Overall, it was OK.
★ 813 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Straight "3.5's" across the board for me. Sampled yesterday while grilling on the upper patio deck on 10/11/15. Comes in a 500ml (16.9 ounce) bottle that I picked up at the new World Market this past Friday night in Omaha for $3.49. Bottle chilled down to 36 degrees F in my beer cooler and poured in to a .5L "ROCK BOTTOM MUG CLUB" handled-glass stein.
Brew pours a slightly hazy straw-yellow in color with a good 3-finger foamy/fizzy white head that settles down to just a few mm after a short while. Some streaky lacing was seen when sipped that stuck to the sides of the glass. Aroma is of yeast and light citrus hops for the most part. Pretty much is also said for the taste with a good amount of 'grain' taste. Finished slightly dry. Lighter side of medium-bodied with good carbonation. Overall, it was OK.
★ 813 characters
3.79/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pale gold with a fluffy off white head.
Lightly toasted biscuit aroma. Hint of bubble gum.
A subdued grassy fruit flavor with mild bitterness.
Low carbonation with a slight crisp mouthfeel. Dry finish.
Quite tasty!
★ 214 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pale gold with a fluffy off white head.
Lightly toasted biscuit aroma. Hint of bubble gum.
A subdued grassy fruit flavor with mild bitterness.
Low carbonation with a slight crisp mouthfeel. Dry finish.
Quite tasty!
★ 214 characters
3.28/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
500 ml bottle.
Looks like a run of the mill pale lager, but the aroma and taste prove otherwise.
Light biscuit aroma with a hint of citrus with the hops.
The flavor has more citrus, which here seems like lime, and adequate grain flavor.
Light bodied but not watery with near medium carbonation.
★ 297 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
500 ml bottle.
Looks like a run of the mill pale lager, but the aroma and taste prove otherwise.
Light biscuit aroma with a hint of citrus with the hops.
The flavor has more citrus, which here seems like lime, and adequate grain flavor.
Light bodied but not watery with near medium carbonation.
★ 297 characters
2.73/5 rDev -24.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
Quite a lovely pile of suds on the hazed yellow brew. Wet cardboard aroma with some European hop notes. The whiff of the faintly skunky European hops is there too. Sprightly but watery in the mouth.
Taste is bready with some fruity sourish notes. An old fruit taste. Some sweet malt with a touch of oxidation. Persistent metallic aftertaste is the last straw for me. From the 500 ml bottle purchased at Whidbey Beer Works in Oak Harbor for $3.00.
★ 447 characters
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
Quite a lovely pile of suds on the hazed yellow brew. Wet cardboard aroma with some European hop notes. The whiff of the faintly skunky European hops is there too. Sprightly but watery in the mouth.
Taste is bready with some fruity sourish notes. An old fruit taste. Some sweet malt with a touch of oxidation. Persistent metallic aftertaste is the last straw for me. From the 500 ml bottle purchased at Whidbey Beer Works in Oak Harbor for $3.00.
★ 447 characters
4.21/5 rDev +16%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very little head, hazy straw gold color. Faint smell of malt and light hop hint. Taste is light, crisp and unexpectedly tart. Much lighter color and none of the caramel flavors I've had in other alts. Very enjoyable and drinkable. Traveled well from Germany.
★ 258 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very little head, hazy straw gold color. Faint smell of malt and light hop hint. Taste is light, crisp and unexpectedly tart. Much lighter color and none of the caramel flavors I've had in other alts. Very enjoyable and drinkable. Traveled well from Germany.
★ 258 characters
4.54/5 rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Münster Alt pours clean cloudy gold with a 2” off white foam cap that fairly quickly drops to a tinny hillock that leaves lines of lace with each drink. Floral aromas join light fruit and grain on the nose. The palate starts with a hint of sweetness and finishes dry with a little fruity tartness. Light grains form the backbone. Medium body and medium low carbonation. Very easy to drink and very refreshing.
★ 412 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Münster Alt pours clean cloudy gold with a 2” off white foam cap that fairly quickly drops to a tinny hillock that leaves lines of lace with each drink. Floral aromas join light fruit and grain on the nose. The palate starts with a hint of sweetness and finishes dry with a little fruity tartness. Light grains form the backbone. Medium body and medium low carbonation. Very easy to drink and very refreshing.
★ 412 characters
3.83/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a hazy light gold with a foamy off-white head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy patches of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, grape jelly, and white grape juice aromas. Taste is much the same with floral, grass, and white grape juice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.
Serving type: bottle.
★ 550 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a hazy light gold with a foamy off-white head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy patches of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, grape jelly, and white grape juice aromas. Taste is much the same with floral, grass, and white grape juice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.
Serving type: bottle.
★ 550 characters
3.98/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a pale golden amber with a copious quantity of puffy white foam floating on top. Aroma is sweet grains and some bubble gum and cherry fruity notes, along with another earthy or perhaps musty element. Bready and quite sweet on the palate, with some breakfast cereal, popcorn and toast, classy floral hops and an emergent citrus note, orange I would say. Pleasantly assertive but not overpowering hops. Rather fruity. Light thin body and moderate carbonation. For some reason I am surprised that this is so appealing. More sweet and gentle than my conceptualization of the alt style but a great session brew, with enough complexity to hold one's attention.
★ 661 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a pale golden amber with a copious quantity of puffy white foam floating on top. Aroma is sweet grains and some bubble gum and cherry fruity notes, along with another earthy or perhaps musty element. Bready and quite sweet on the palate, with some breakfast cereal, popcorn and toast, classy floral hops and an emergent citrus note, orange I would say. Pleasantly assertive but not overpowering hops. Rather fruity. Light thin body and moderate carbonation. For some reason I am surprised that this is so appealing. More sweet and gentle than my conceptualization of the alt style but a great session brew, with enough complexity to hold one's attention.
★ 661 characters
3.83/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The brew shows a watered, golden coloring. It holds a two finger head of well-retained white snow, leaving honeycomb lacing as it eventually dissipates. Carbonation appears to be exceptionally high. The aroma is soft, but classically wheaty and yeasty. We pick up white grape and red apple fruitiness, fresh honey drips, wax, dusted lavender, crystal and powdered wheat maltiness, fresh clover, cloven phenols, and tannic breakfast tea leafiness. It is hard not to notice a few things about this beer’s flavor right off the bat. The prominent aromatic honey translates with strength, while the malt bill is comprised mainly of wheat, but this brings with it all the musk and dust to justify the style. Wet wheat, lime and lemon rind, mineral and mud, watered pale maltiness, resinous grassiness, freshly baked buttermilk biscuits, coiny metallics, and curry spice take us through the bulk of the taste. The body is lightly medium, and the carbonation is medium, but responsive. The mouth is left dried, with a curiously tart astringent bite towards the front of the palate. The abv is appropriate, and the beer drinks back as a decent sipper.
Overall, this is a nice and light beer that is easy to drink. Simple as that. The musk and “alt”-ness of it comes all from the malts, which are heavily wheated, and less to the darker, brown side of the spectrum. If this beer was put in front of us we wouldn’t turn it away, but we likely won’t actively seek it out again. Compare this to the Americanized version of the alt, with the musky old ales, and these unfortunately fall to fainter shells of those more robust, flavor-forward offerings. That is us being mighty nitpicky, so don’t get us wrong. This was pleasant, and we are always happy to sip down an organic beverage. Enjoyable, and something Germany should be generally proud to export.
★ 1,854 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The brew shows a watered, golden coloring. It holds a two finger head of well-retained white snow, leaving honeycomb lacing as it eventually dissipates. Carbonation appears to be exceptionally high. The aroma is soft, but classically wheaty and yeasty. We pick up white grape and red apple fruitiness, fresh honey drips, wax, dusted lavender, crystal and powdered wheat maltiness, fresh clover, cloven phenols, and tannic breakfast tea leafiness. It is hard not to notice a few things about this beer’s flavor right off the bat. The prominent aromatic honey translates with strength, while the malt bill is comprised mainly of wheat, but this brings with it all the musk and dust to justify the style. Wet wheat, lime and lemon rind, mineral and mud, watered pale maltiness, resinous grassiness, freshly baked buttermilk biscuits, coiny metallics, and curry spice take us through the bulk of the taste. The body is lightly medium, and the carbonation is medium, but responsive. The mouth is left dried, with a curiously tart astringent bite towards the front of the palate. The abv is appropriate, and the beer drinks back as a decent sipper.
Overall, this is a nice and light beer that is easy to drink. Simple as that. The musk and “alt”-ness of it comes all from the malts, which are heavily wheated, and less to the darker, brown side of the spectrum. If this beer was put in front of us we wouldn’t turn it away, but we likely won’t actively seek it out again. Compare this to the Americanized version of the alt, with the musky old ales, and these unfortunately fall to fainter shells of those more robust, flavor-forward offerings. That is us being mighty nitpicky, so don’t get us wrong. This was pleasant, and we are always happy to sip down an organic beverage. Enjoyable, and something Germany should be generally proud to export.
★ 1,854 characters
3.82/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours hazy golden and much paler than I expected with a white head foam that fell pretty quickly but left a ring and some spots of lace. Nose is malty and earthy. A bit of grass behind the malt. No fruit .A slight honey like sweetness. Just enough to be there and really no more than that.
Taste is round with malt. A bit of depth but no heaviness. Grainy. A slight honey sweetness and the roundness of the malt come together perfectly with a good little bite from carbonation. This finishes dry and with a slight bitter. The herbal is but a whisper in the drink. Just barely there. Crisp and lovely. The mouthfeel is on the thin side of medium.
★ 646 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours hazy golden and much paler than I expected with a white head foam that fell pretty quickly but left a ring and some spots of lace. Nose is malty and earthy. A bit of grass behind the malt. No fruit .A slight honey like sweetness. Just enough to be there and really no more than that.
Taste is round with malt. A bit of depth but no heaviness. Grainy. A slight honey sweetness and the roundness of the malt come together perfectly with a good little bite from carbonation. This finishes dry and with a slight bitter. The herbal is but a whisper in the drink. Just barely there. Crisp and lovely. The mouthfeel is on the thin side of medium.
★ 646 characters
4.23/5 rDev +16.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This is an unusual beer.
I don't have a Stange glass, so I first tried a hefeweizen glass. I later switched to an imperial pint glass which worked well.
The beer poured a yellow-orange color, with a 4F head. Very nice looking beer.
The aroma was sweet clove with some fruit, different than in other German beers I have tasted.
The mouth feel is moderate.
The taste is unusual. Deep fruit, mostly pear, slightly different than other wheat beers. There was an off-taste to the fruit- actually quite good, but unlike other fruit tastes in German wheat beers.
excellent finish: slightly bitter with maltiness as it warms up.
In general, very different. The combination of a different fruit, sweet clove, and maltiness make an excellent beer. Worth seeking out.
★ 763 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This is an unusual beer.
I don't have a Stange glass, so I first tried a hefeweizen glass. I later switched to an imperial pint glass which worked well.
The beer poured a yellow-orange color, with a 4F head. Very nice looking beer.
The aroma was sweet clove with some fruit, different than in other German beers I have tasted.
The mouth feel is moderate.
The taste is unusual. Deep fruit, mostly pear, slightly different than other wheat beers. There was an off-taste to the fruit- actually quite good, but unlike other fruit tastes in German wheat beers.
excellent finish: slightly bitter with maltiness as it warms up.
In general, very different. The combination of a different fruit, sweet clove, and maltiness make an excellent beer. Worth seeking out.
★ 763 characters
4.3/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16.9 ounce Euro-brown bottle into a sampler. A moderate pour produces about 1/2 inch of a frothy, snow white head. The beer is a hazy pale golden with high carbonation. The color is surprisingly pale.
Wow. This is unique and different (and very tasty). The aroma is so unique that I can hardly describe it, but it is very nice. Delicate hop flavor-aromas are evident, producing hints of citrus and candy-like pale malts- pineapple comes to mind. I think the uniqueness that I can't quite describe might be from mineral water, yeast, or a combination of the two. A little bit of pleasant tartness is evident in the aftertaste. The brew feels tingly on the tongue and produces plenty of pleasant burpiness.
I bought this bottle for $3.29 at Front Street Market in Butte, Montana. This beer is a very reasonably priced treat, and I must extend kudos to my favorite local beer outlet. I've noticed a few of these German imports that are a very good value. Prost!
★ 974 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16.9 ounce Euro-brown bottle into a sampler. A moderate pour produces about 1/2 inch of a frothy, snow white head. The beer is a hazy pale golden with high carbonation. The color is surprisingly pale.
Wow. This is unique and different (and very tasty). The aroma is so unique that I can hardly describe it, but it is very nice. Delicate hop flavor-aromas are evident, producing hints of citrus and candy-like pale malts- pineapple comes to mind. I think the uniqueness that I can't quite describe might be from mineral water, yeast, or a combination of the two. A little bit of pleasant tartness is evident in the aftertaste. The brew feels tingly on the tongue and produces plenty of pleasant burpiness.
I bought this bottle for $3.29 at Front Street Market in Butte, Montana. This beer is a very reasonably priced treat, and I must extend kudos to my favorite local beer outlet. I've noticed a few of these German imports that are a very good value. Prost!
★ 974 characters
2.91/5 rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75
Gonna give this one a good score for looks even though it looks nothing like Alts I have had or made. Beautiful clear gold, with a huge hat of white, fine bubbled foam atop.
Flowery perfume, lightly tart yeast, biscuity breadiness, and a hint of citrus for an aroma unlike any Alt I have tasted or read about, but it is a nice, medium strength bouquet.
Tasty beer with more in common with helles lager than Alt, but enjoyable none the less. All the flavors of the nose, with the floral notes less pronounced, the tart and bread more pronounced, and a finish that features a bit of spice to go with the citrus
Very light in mouth, so out of style it is comical. Highly carbed, nice linger, okay finish.
Not really getting the Alt designation on the label, this is more helles than Alt, even if it did use top fermenting yeast. Not recommended.
★ 846 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75
Gonna give this one a good score for looks even though it looks nothing like Alts I have had or made. Beautiful clear gold, with a huge hat of white, fine bubbled foam atop.
Flowery perfume, lightly tart yeast, biscuity breadiness, and a hint of citrus for an aroma unlike any Alt I have tasted or read about, but it is a nice, medium strength bouquet.
Tasty beer with more in common with helles lager than Alt, but enjoyable none the less. All the flavors of the nose, with the floral notes less pronounced, the tart and bread more pronounced, and a finish that features a bit of spice to go with the citrus
Very light in mouth, so out of style it is comical. Highly carbed, nice linger, okay finish.
Not really getting the Alt designation on the label, this is more helles than Alt, even if it did use top fermenting yeast. Not recommended.
★ 846 characters
3.6/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
I picked up a bottle of Brauerei Pinkus Mueller's Munster Alt a couple weeks ago for $3.59 at The Lager Mill. I was looking for a new beer to try and I thought I would take a chance on it, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, but it did have #06000a9, but I don't know what that means. Poured from a brown 500ml bottle into a imperial pint glass.
A- The label looks ok, it's pretty simple looking and it's not too eye catching. It poured a slightly hazy pale yellow color that took on more of golden color when held to the light with two and a half fingers worth of fluffy white head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and it left some spotty rings of lacing behind. This is a pretty nice looking beer, it's a little light looking for a Altbier, but that could be because it's a Munster Alt.
S- The aroma starts off with a higher amount of medium sweetness with the malts being the first to show up and they impart some bready, sweet malts, grainy, and light caramel like aromas. Up next comes the yeast which imparts a fruity and doughy aroma. This beer had a pretty nice and unique aroma.
T- The taste seems to be very similar to the aroma and it starts off with a higher amount of medium sweetness followed by all those malty aspect that I got in the aroma with hardly any of that caramel aspect coming through and the grainy and sweet malts seem to stick out the most. Up next comes the yeast which imparts that same fruity and doughy aspect with the doughy flavors showing up just a little more. On the finish there's pretty much no bitterness with a little more sweetness and a grainy and sweet malt like aftertaste, This was a nice tasting beer, but it was a little on the sweet side.
M- Smooth, clean, crisp, medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. The mouthfeel was pretty nice and it worked well with this beer.
Overall I thought this was a nice beer and nice example a typical German Lager, it had all the aspects that I would expect from that style and it didn't seem to be all that similar to any of the Altbiers I've had, but I've never had a Munster Alt before so that might be typical for the style. This beer had nice drinkability, it was smooth, clean, crisp, not filling, and the taste did a nice job at holding my attention, I could drink a couple of these but the sweetness might start to wear on me after that. What I like the most about this beer was the aroma, that caramel aspect made it pretty nice. What I liked the least about this beer was the sweetness, if it was toned down a little it would help this beer out. I might buy this beer again when in the mood for this style, it's priced well and I would recommend it to anyone who likes German lagers. All in all I thought this was a solid beer, it was pretty similar to some of the better German Lagers I've had and it didn't have anything off about it. This made for a nice first impression for Brauerei Pinkus Mueller and i wouldn't mind trying a few more of their beers. Nice job guys, keep up the good Organic work..
★ 3,051 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
I picked up a bottle of Brauerei Pinkus Mueller's Munster Alt a couple weeks ago for $3.59 at The Lager Mill. I was looking for a new beer to try and I thought I would take a chance on it, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, but it did have #06000a9, but I don't know what that means. Poured from a brown 500ml bottle into a imperial pint glass.
A- The label looks ok, it's pretty simple looking and it's not too eye catching. It poured a slightly hazy pale yellow color that took on more of golden color when held to the light with two and a half fingers worth of fluffy white head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and it left some spotty rings of lacing behind. This is a pretty nice looking beer, it's a little light looking for a Altbier, but that could be because it's a Munster Alt.
S- The aroma starts off with a higher amount of medium sweetness with the malts being the first to show up and they impart some bready, sweet malts, grainy, and light caramel like aromas. Up next comes the yeast which imparts a fruity and doughy aroma. This beer had a pretty nice and unique aroma.
T- The taste seems to be very similar to the aroma and it starts off with a higher amount of medium sweetness followed by all those malty aspect that I got in the aroma with hardly any of that caramel aspect coming through and the grainy and sweet malts seem to stick out the most. Up next comes the yeast which imparts that same fruity and doughy aspect with the doughy flavors showing up just a little more. On the finish there's pretty much no bitterness with a little more sweetness and a grainy and sweet malt like aftertaste, This was a nice tasting beer, but it was a little on the sweet side.
M- Smooth, clean, crisp, medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. The mouthfeel was pretty nice and it worked well with this beer.
Overall I thought this was a nice beer and nice example a typical German Lager, it had all the aspects that I would expect from that style and it didn't seem to be all that similar to any of the Altbiers I've had, but I've never had a Munster Alt before so that might be typical for the style. This beer had nice drinkability, it was smooth, clean, crisp, not filling, and the taste did a nice job at holding my attention, I could drink a couple of these but the sweetness might start to wear on me after that. What I like the most about this beer was the aroma, that caramel aspect made it pretty nice. What I liked the least about this beer was the sweetness, if it was toned down a little it would help this beer out. I might buy this beer again when in the mood for this style, it's priced well and I would recommend it to anyone who likes German lagers. All in all I thought this was a solid beer, it was pretty similar to some of the better German Lagers I've had and it didn't have anything off about it. This made for a nice first impression for Brauerei Pinkus Mueller and i wouldn't mind trying a few more of their beers. Nice job guys, keep up the good Organic work..
★ 3,051 characters
3.26/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
My first altbier! Pours murky dark yellow with a small white quickly receding head. Aroma of sweetly tart cherries, some alcohol, not much else. Flavor is sweet up front with the cherry and honey, then fades into pilsner malt characteristics. Light and lots of carbonation, so would be fine for a hot day. Overall, a small step up from a pale lager if you ask me. Meh.
★ 368 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
My first altbier! Pours murky dark yellow with a small white quickly receding head. Aroma of sweetly tart cherries, some alcohol, not much else. Flavor is sweet up front with the cherry and honey, then fades into pilsner malt characteristics. Light and lots of carbonation, so would be fine for a hot day. Overall, a small step up from a pale lager if you ask me. Meh.
★ 368 characters
3.92/5 rDev +8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours clear gold with a nice, two finger head. Delicate smell of floral hops.
Crisp grainy flavor that has an interesting twang in the finish. A touch of lemon and citrus, followed by flowers and earth mid-palate. Super easy to drink, light-medium bodied. Carbonation is good for style. Really tasty and -- without any doubts -- a great session ale.
A delightful alt beer. I've grown to expect alt to appear darker, but I can totally take a pass at this because of its flavorful goodness. Great on a humid summer eve with a nice cheese plate -- would probably be wonderful with grilled sausages.
★ 597 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours clear gold with a nice, two finger head. Delicate smell of floral hops.
Crisp grainy flavor that has an interesting twang in the finish. A touch of lemon and citrus, followed by flowers and earth mid-palate. Super easy to drink, light-medium bodied. Carbonation is good for style. Really tasty and -- without any doubts -- a great session ale.
A delightful alt beer. I've grown to expect alt to appear darker, but I can totally take a pass at this because of its flavorful goodness. Great on a humid summer eve with a nice cheese plate -- would probably be wonderful with grilled sausages.
★ 597 characters
3.59/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
A- hazy golden with a white head that dissipates quickly
S- bready, yeasty smell, with a hint of something zesty, like orange marmalade
T- slightly sweet bready malt with a sour finish, in tune with that marmalade smell
M- Well rounded, right amount of carbonation to drink a bunch of, very smooth
O- overall I like this, but I think it is a little too sour to be a really good Alt. There is not enough malt flavor and aroma or bitterness, and a little too much fruit/yeast ester going on to make this a quaffable Alt.
★ 524 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
A- hazy golden with a white head that dissipates quickly
S- bready, yeasty smell, with a hint of something zesty, like orange marmalade
T- slightly sweet bready malt with a sour finish, in tune with that marmalade smell
M- Well rounded, right amount of carbonation to drink a bunch of, very smooth
O- overall I like this, but I think it is a little too sour to be a really good Alt. There is not enough malt flavor and aroma or bitterness, and a little too much fruit/yeast ester going on to make this a quaffable Alt.
★ 524 characters
3.88/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pinkus Münster Alt has a thick, foamy off-white head, a hazy, somewhat bubbly, yellow-golden appearance, and a fairly heavy amount of lacing left behind. The aroma is of very aged, cellared, over-ripe light fruit, dank grain, and mold, plus sweetness and an unusual hop zing. Taste is of those things, plus lemony sweetness, light bitterness, biscuit, and water. Mouthfeel is light and watery, with some carbonation prickle, and Pinkus Münster Alt finishes lager like- crisp and refreshing. Overall, this is a very different beer, and I would recommend it to the adventurous types.
RJT
★ 589 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pinkus Münster Alt has a thick, foamy off-white head, a hazy, somewhat bubbly, yellow-golden appearance, and a fairly heavy amount of lacing left behind. The aroma is of very aged, cellared, over-ripe light fruit, dank grain, and mold, plus sweetness and an unusual hop zing. Taste is of those things, plus lemony sweetness, light bitterness, biscuit, and water. Mouthfeel is light and watery, with some carbonation prickle, and Pinkus Münster Alt finishes lager like- crisp and refreshing. Overall, this is a very different beer, and I would recommend it to the adventurous types.
RJT
★ 589 characters
2.78/5 rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
From: Binny's, Schaumburg, IL
Date: None on bottle
Glass: Ayinger willi glass
While I'm not familiar with what differentiates a Munster Alt and a Dusseldorf Alt other than the usage of wheat malt giving the beer a more pale appearance and less-pronounced caramel malt flavors, based upon this sample, I generally think I'd choose the Dusseldorf representation. While my bottle clearly had some age to it, I still found the uncomplicated and light malt flavors to be not entirely satisfying. There's also little to suggest that this would be a world-class beer even when fresh. Without bottled-on dates being available, I wouldn't consider purchasing this again.
Pours a 1.5cm tall head of fairly clean, white bubbles, which are small to medium in size, resulting in a fairly non-compact mass of foam. Retention is around one minute, average for the style, the foam settling to a thin ring around the perimeter of the glass and a large island of thin, residual foam atop the body. Lacing is very modest, a few small dots remain affixed to the inner sides of the glass. The body is pale, dirty tan-brown color, with light bringing out a pale yellow-orange hue; this is the lightest alt I have seen. Carbonation is not visible through the hazy (50% opaque) body.
Aroma is mildly sweet, of light caramel malts with bread yeast, a touch of diacetyl and vegetal like hop usage.
The overall flavor combination is of light caramel malts with very modest hints of toasted nuts and mulch and herb-like hops; fairly one-dimensional and uninteresting. Front of palate notes light caramelized malt sugars with a hint of toasted nuts. The mid-palate notes an increase in caramel malt flavor and sweetness, the modest appearance of bread yeast, slighty mulch-like and herbal hops, and a continued faint hint of toasted nuts. Back of palate primarily features light caramelized malt sugars with pale malt sugars (Pilsner?) as well. Aftertaste reminds one of watered-down Grape Nuts cereal, perhaps indicating some percentage of Munich malt in the grain bill.
Beer is medium-light in body, with carbonation of medium-low intensity, resulting in a light, smooth, and slightly foamy mouthfeel that actually complements the body's weight quite well. Closes semi-dry, with little to no residual stickiness clinging to the mouth.
★ 2,312 characters
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
From: Binny's, Schaumburg, IL
Date: None on bottle
Glass: Ayinger willi glass
While I'm not familiar with what differentiates a Munster Alt and a Dusseldorf Alt other than the usage of wheat malt giving the beer a more pale appearance and less-pronounced caramel malt flavors, based upon this sample, I generally think I'd choose the Dusseldorf representation. While my bottle clearly had some age to it, I still found the uncomplicated and light malt flavors to be not entirely satisfying. There's also little to suggest that this would be a world-class beer even when fresh. Without bottled-on dates being available, I wouldn't consider purchasing this again.
Pours a 1.5cm tall head of fairly clean, white bubbles, which are small to medium in size, resulting in a fairly non-compact mass of foam. Retention is around one minute, average for the style, the foam settling to a thin ring around the perimeter of the glass and a large island of thin, residual foam atop the body. Lacing is very modest, a few small dots remain affixed to the inner sides of the glass. The body is pale, dirty tan-brown color, with light bringing out a pale yellow-orange hue; this is the lightest alt I have seen. Carbonation is not visible through the hazy (50% opaque) body.
Aroma is mildly sweet, of light caramel malts with bread yeast, a touch of diacetyl and vegetal like hop usage.
The overall flavor combination is of light caramel malts with very modest hints of toasted nuts and mulch and herb-like hops; fairly one-dimensional and uninteresting. Front of palate notes light caramelized malt sugars with a hint of toasted nuts. The mid-palate notes an increase in caramel malt flavor and sweetness, the modest appearance of bread yeast, slighty mulch-like and herbal hops, and a continued faint hint of toasted nuts. Back of palate primarily features light caramelized malt sugars with pale malt sugars (Pilsner?) as well. Aftertaste reminds one of watered-down Grape Nuts cereal, perhaps indicating some percentage of Munich malt in the grain bill.
Beer is medium-light in body, with carbonation of medium-low intensity, resulting in a light, smooth, and slightly foamy mouthfeel that actually complements the body's weight quite well. Closes semi-dry, with little to no residual stickiness clinging to the mouth.
★ 2,312 characters
Organic Münster Alt from Brauerei Pinkus Mueller
3.63
out of 5
based on 396 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
500 ml bottle into pint glass, 09010N6 bottle code. Pours slightly hazy golden straw color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Dense soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of cracker, white bread, pepper, light lemon/pear, and herbal/grassy earthiness. Nice aromas with good balance of pale malt, earthy hops, and light fruity yeast notes; with good strength. Taste of cracker, white bread, pepper, light lemon/pear, and herbal/grassy earthiness. Moderate herbal/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of cracker, white bread, pepper, and herbal/grassy earthiness on the finish for a short bit. Very nice robustness and balance of pale malt, earthy hops, and light fruity yeast flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Moderate dryness from bitterness as well. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, crisp, and lightly grainy/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.1%. Overall this is a very good beer. This did not resemble an Altbier style at all; but was nearly spot on to a German Pilsner or Kolsch style. Very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink; and was very enjoyable as such.
★ 1,380 characters