And now we come full circle back to an altbier, a double or “stickebier” in German, a rather hard to find style outside of Germany. Very hazy, almost pumpkin in color, with minimal head retention; smells of fruit (cherry, apple) and alcohol, very mild funk note from the yeast. The taste is sweet and spicy, more apple and cherry notes, some toffee, pipe tobacco underneath, along with a subtle pepperiness all matched to slick, light body. The finish is dry and warm, lots of herbal and pine hop notes with a moderate to high perceived bitterness. Overall, this is an excellent beer; the alcohol is hidden well, the flavors and complex yet balanced, and while you can’t have too many of these in a session, they are certainly drinkable.
