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A Really Schwel Beer: Schwelmer AltDec 10 '04 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line A slightly sweet and malty German Alt beer.
Real German Alt beers are a rare find in the good old US of A. Oh, you might come across a Frankenheim Alt now and then. But other than that, they're few and far between to be sure. Thus my excitement in running across a new one the other day, Schwelmer Alt from Schwelm, Germany. It's produced by the Brauerei Schwelm, which claims to date back to 1830. That may seem to be quite some time, but it's fairly recent by European standards. Brauerei Schwelm is a small local brewery so typical of those in Germany. Perhaps the nearest American equivalent might be a microbrewery, serving fresh hand-crafted beer to its immediate surroundings. These beers have a character all their own, and are as much a part of the local landscape as the bakery or the butcher shop. The Schwelm brewery has undergone a recent renovation, and as a result we're now seeing their beers here ion America. Sold in distinctive half-liter swingtop bottles, you can purchase a fine Pilsner, Hefeweizen, amber lager, and of course the Alt for about $2.50 a bottle. Not a bad deal at all. What is Alt beer, or Altbier as the Germans call it? It's a spicy, slightly sweet and malty German brown ale with a balancing hop finish. Altbier is uncommon as German beers go in that it is top-fermented and is thus an ale. Most German beers are lagers. With a bit of Teutonic flair, however, Altbiers are cold-conditioned, just like lagers, to round them out and leave them cleaner tasting. Schwelmer Alt pours to a deep brown color with a very thick foamy cauliflower head and a soft, sweet dark malty nose. The palate is clean of fruity esters as is appropriate for the style. There's lots of slightly sweet, nutty dark malt flavors here, and plenty of melanoidin-rich decocted Munich malt flavor to go around. A generous amount of Brussels lace follows the liquid down the glass. The finish is balanced with a touch of grassy hops, but it's still slightly sweet. Perhaps a tad more hop bitterness would suit me here, but I think I was probably spoiled on Dornbusch Alt so many years ago that I'm looking for more than perhaps I should. Still, this is a delightful beer, full of wonderful soft and creamy dark malt flavors. Schwelmer Alt is a great beer to sip while sitting by my Christmas tree, enjoying my collection of German Christmas carols sung in their native language. Of course, you can drink it year round. Ein Prosit! EPINIONS CRITERIA: Overall Rating: Four and one half stars Beer Rating: Better than Most Weight: Medium body Flavor: Slightly sweet Complexity: Average Price: $2.49 per 500ml bottle  |
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