Beer of the Weekend #225: Organic Münster Alt
Tomorrow I am driving to Chicago to visit a friend for the weekend. As awesome as that is (I have not been to the Second City proper in five years), chances are I will need to forgo a traditional Friday night BotW. Being the beer nut I am, I will be taking a pint glass with me in case I come across a bottle of indigenous Chi-town brew. (My friend said she would take me to the world’s second largest Whole Foods. Why? The chain sells brews from the Half Acre Beer Company.) Chicago is home to many breweries, and I want to buy as much as I can to bring back to IC.
In anticipation of not sampling anything tomorrow [sad face], I am drinking for my health tonight. The beer of the weekend (probably) is Organic Münster Alt, brewed by the Brauerei Pinkus Mueller of Münster, Germany.
Pinkus brews are, ironically, imported by Merchant du Vin, which has its corporate headquarters in Tukwila, Washington. “Vin” is French for “wine.” Apparently, Merchant du Vin exclusively sells imported beer.
Serving type: One 500 ml bottle. No freshness date on bottle.
Appearance: Straight pour into a 500 ml glass (I cannot remember what it is called). I should have tilted the glass when pouring; a massive and thick eggshell colored head developed and dissipated slowly, leaving trails of foam along the glass. The color is a hazy straw that is leaning toward honey. There was a film of yeast at the bottom of the glass, which I swirled loose and poured in.
Smell: Merchant du Vin says the aroma is “herbaceous,” which I agree with. (Nice use of a thesaurus.) German barnyard aroma, honey, warm buttered biscuit, lightly toasted malt, and lemon citrus.
Taste: Mirrors the smell. The herbaceousness is complimented by the honey, buttered biscuit, toasted malts, and lemon citrus. It also offers a hop nip at the end.
Drinkability: Very smooth and drinkable. Though I don’t think it is true to style, it is really tasty stuff.
Fun facts about Organic Münster Alt:
-Style: BA calls it an Altbier:
A Düsseldorf specialty, an Altbier is a German style brown ale, the “alt” literally translates to “old” in German, and traditionally Altbiers are conditioned for a longer than normal periods of time. Other sources note that “alt” is derived from the Latin word “altus,” which means “high” and refers to the rising yeast. Take your pick, but the extended conditioning mellows out the ale's fruitiness and produces an exceptionally smooth and delicate brew. The color ranges from amber to dark brown, medium in carbonation with a great balance between malt and hops.
“Sticke” is a stronger version of an Altbier, thus a bit more malty and hoppy to boot.
-Price: $3.79/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op on Van Buren Street in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Merchant du Vin webside suggests: “Cured ham, sweetbreads, lasagna, as an aperitif with a dash of flavored syrup (raspberry, lime or cherry), light breads, croissants, pizza, corn tortillas. Serve in thin, delicate, straight glasses garnished with fresh fruit.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
In anticipation of not sampling anything tomorrow [sad face], I am drinking for my health tonight. The beer of the weekend (probably) is Organic Münster Alt, brewed by the Brauerei Pinkus Mueller of Münster, Germany.
Pinkus brews are, ironically, imported by Merchant du Vin, which has its corporate headquarters in Tukwila, Washington. “Vin” is French for “wine.” Apparently, Merchant du Vin exclusively sells imported beer.
Serving type: One 500 ml bottle. No freshness date on bottle.
Appearance: Straight pour into a 500 ml glass (I cannot remember what it is called). I should have tilted the glass when pouring; a massive and thick eggshell colored head developed and dissipated slowly, leaving trails of foam along the glass. The color is a hazy straw that is leaning toward honey. There was a film of yeast at the bottom of the glass, which I swirled loose and poured in.
Smell: Merchant du Vin says the aroma is “herbaceous,” which I agree with. (Nice use of a thesaurus.) German barnyard aroma, honey, warm buttered biscuit, lightly toasted malt, and lemon citrus.
Taste: Mirrors the smell. The herbaceousness is complimented by the honey, buttered biscuit, toasted malts, and lemon citrus. It also offers a hop nip at the end.
Drinkability: Very smooth and drinkable. Though I don’t think it is true to style, it is really tasty stuff.
Fun facts about Organic Münster Alt:
-Style: BA calls it an Altbier:
A Düsseldorf specialty, an Altbier is a German style brown ale, the “alt” literally translates to “old” in German, and traditionally Altbiers are conditioned for a longer than normal periods of time. Other sources note that “alt” is derived from the Latin word “altus,” which means “high” and refers to the rising yeast. Take your pick, but the extended conditioning mellows out the ale's fruitiness and produces an exceptionally smooth and delicate brew. The color ranges from amber to dark brown, medium in carbonation with a great balance between malt and hops.
“Sticke” is a stronger version of an Altbier, thus a bit more malty and hoppy to boot.
-Price: $3.79/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op on Van Buren Street in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Merchant du Vin webside suggests: “Cured ham, sweetbreads, lasagna, as an aperitif with a dash of flavored syrup (raspberry, lime or cherry), light breads, croissants, pizza, corn tortillas. Serve in thin, delicate, straight glasses garnished with fresh fruit.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
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