The style of the day:  altbier! I have here Detroit Brewing Company’s The Detroit Dwarf Altbier, the legendary Nain Rouge German style amber. “Alt” means old in German; altbier is Germany’s answer to the brown ale. It is conditioned longer than usual for an ale, begetting a smooth fruitiness. 

Source: untappd.com via BigMichigan

Appearance:  I am serving it cold in my Strongbow tumbler. It pours a dark auburn with a thick, sticky head. It is a pretty full-bodied looking beer. Smell:  a lot of brown bread, some light caramel and dark fruits.

Taste:  more brown bread, hints of walnuts and roasted pecans and a good piney hop presence. Similar to an American brown ale but not as nutty. I like the hops in the finish. The breadiness is the main show, which is just fine with me. It leaves a sweet slickness on the lips. 

Not bad at all. A nice rendition of the style you certainly do not see very often. The only other altbier I can think of in ABC land is Widmer Brother’s Okto Festival Ale. Sam Adams had their Longshot series Derf’s Secret Alt from the winners of their home brewing contest. I had that one and it was delicious. You will find Detroit’s at every ABC.

Beer blogger Adam Shugan is a store manager in Gainesville.