Altbier
Four Generals Brewing

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium to dark coppery amber with a quarter finger off-white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of dry caramel malt, brown bread, raisins, faint orange citrus; mild grassy hops hops. Flavor is dry caramel malt, rye and brown bread, raisins, light citrus and grassy hops with light to moderate bitterness in the finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. I'm pleased to see many of the local breweries offering this style, for which I've found a growing fondness. I'm a fan of malty ales and many of these offer nice malt profiles. This one is a little subdued, but quite close to the traditional profile. There is light bock quality that is appealing. Like the last one I tried, this appears to use a little traditional noble hops, but also some domestic citrus leaning hops, which for me add some brightness to the flavor. A nice example of the style from this local brewery that seems to lean to German styles.

 

Poured from 500mL bottle into a dimpled mug. Bottled 7/16/21.

Appearance: rich, dark amber hue with a totally clear body and a thin finger of frothy tan foam atop. Looks great.

Smell: big malt aromas with a bready, caramelly, and even a little bit of biscuity character. Spot-on for the style, I think.

Taste: plenty of malt here with a slightly sweeter, more rounded character than the aroma. Bitterness is definitely present, but doesn't overwhelm the malt. I think this is a faithful interpretation of the style.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a decent carbonation and creaminess.

Overall: this isn't always my favorite style of beer, but this example is very well-executed. Kudos!