Methusalem Holunderheimer
The Monarchy

Methusalem HolunderheimerMethusalem Holunderheimer
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From:
The Monarchy
 
Germany
Style:
Altbier
ABV:
10%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 6.49%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
21
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 19, 2021
Added:
Apr 17, 2015
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  2
Methusalem is The Monarchy’s perilously drinkable version of a classic “Adambier”- the slightly sour & hoppy strong Altbier that enjoyed great popularity in 19th-century Dortmund. Methusalem Holunderheimrr goes one step further with the addition of sweet, dark, juicy elderberries.
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Ratings by DrBier:
Photo of DrBier
Rated by DrBier from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Jul 26, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.56 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Jan 19, 2021
 
Rated: 3.9 by shelby415 from Oregon

Dec 10, 2018
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

4.09/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy deep mahogany coloration with a small, fizzy head. Smell is dominated by tart elderberry and bready malt, with hints of smoke and toffee. Taste follows the nose, with a strong, moderately sour elderberry note backed by bready, caramel malt and smoke. Hints of red berries, toffee and chocolate, as well as a certain earthy, musty note. Finishes more tart than bitter, with some more smokiness lingering in the aftertaste. Medium body and carbonation.

While this odd combination of tartness, smokiness and fruitiness is not going to be for everyone, it's actually exceptionally well balanced and also backed up by a certain malt complexity. The 8% ABV is also very well hidden, not a hint of booziness to this.
Jul 05, 2018
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

3.76/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Bottle bought at Liquor Shed.

Pours what looks to be a clear dark red, mahogany, great head of foam and lacing.

Smell is of fruity tart elderberry and some light smoke.

The taste has the elderberry tartness that would be a good addition to the jolly rancher line;) The smoke is there, it cuts a bit of the tartness but not much. There's some noticeable alcohol too, being 8%abv per the label, it wasn't a total surprise.

Pretty full in the mouth, lively carbonation, maybe too lively.

I don't know the history of traditional Dortmunder Alts but if this is one, I reckon that I prefer the Dusseldorf versions.
May 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Aug 20, 2017
 
Rated: 3.7 by Kahlerbock from Kansas

May 19, 2017
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.86/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A: The beer is hazy dark brown in color. It poured with a short off white head that quickly settled down, leaving lacing on the surface and a collar consisting of large bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of smoked malts are present in the nose along with notes of elderberries.
T: The taste follows the smell, having some smoky flavors intermixed with tart flavors of elderberries.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is an interesting beer that tastes like a hybrid between a rauchbier and a fruit beer. It is very deceptive and tastes nothing like 10% abv, as the alcohol is well hidden from the taste.

Serving type: bottle
Jan 25, 2017
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

3.07/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
This was not only an odd brew, but one that does not work. Malt, smoke, berry juice don't seem to be a good mixture. I'm all for innovation but this was not right.
Jul 08, 2016
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.02/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours an interesting medium to dark ruby red with a fine, half finger pink head that would look gimmicky if the addition of elderberries wasn't listed on the label. Equally interesting aroma of mild caramel and grainy malt, berries and smoke, smells good. Flavor is mild grainy and bready malt, lightly tart elderberry juice and campfire smoke. Finish is unusual, lightly sweet/tart, smoky with the smoke and tartness giving it an earthy, almost red wine tannic effect. Pleasantly lightly creamy body and mouth feel. A really intriguing beer from start to finish. Tart beers are not my favorite style, but this is not overly sour (although labelled sour altbier), and I would have truly liked to taste something that resembled the aroma. Nevertheless, this won me over with a good balance of the fruit, smoke and malt and a light tartness that was not off-putting. This appears to be an attempt to reproduce an old traditional style, and it certainly gives the impression of a unique and flavorful beer you might find in a hunting lodge far from civilization in times gone by. Enjoyable and well worth trying.
Jun 11, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by bigred89 from Maryland

May 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.91 by kguard from Iowa

Apr 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.95 by Vylo from New Jersey

Mar 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Proclarush from Maryland

Feb 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.61 by lillitnn92 from Virginia

Jan 10, 2016
Photo of drpimento
Reviewed by drpimento from Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
First time that I can recall having a smoked fruit beer. It's good; understated, though I can't help think they could have done more with this. Very soft carbonation. Smoke is stronger in aroma than flavor. Fruit is fairly mild throughout. Subtle alcohol. Yet somehow oddly, not really easy drinking.
Dec 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Sep 07, 2015
Photo of UCLABrewN84
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California

3.91/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours an opaque super dark purple-brown with a foamy purple-tan head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is slightly sour with smoked malt, berry, berry juice, earth, and slight acidic aromas. Taste is much the same with slightly sour berry, berry juice, smoke, and earth flavors on the finish. There is a very mild amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with an interesting mix of berry juice and smoke qualities all around.

Serving type: bottle.
Aug 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by KAF from Iowa

Jul 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.8 by Bugs318 from Canada (QC)

Jul 20, 2015
Methusalem Holunderheimer from The Monarchy
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 21 ratings