Sierra Nevada & Victory Brewing – Alt Route (Beer Camp 2014)
An Altbier brewed with passion and a stubborn spirit.
Beer Name: Alt Route (Beer Camp 2014)
Brewery: Sierra Nevada & Victory Brewing
Beer Style: Altbier
ABV: 6.6%
IBUs: 50
Size: 12 oz. bottle
Beer Advocate: 81
RateBeer: 92
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
Brewers are notorious for refusing to take the easy path. Instead, we lead with our hearts and pursue our passions no matter how difficult the road ahead. Alt Route is a tribute to this stubborn spirit that drove us to dodge the status quo and found breweries. Together we chased the siren song of beer with this revamped take on an antique beer style.
Like us, Victory is one of the few brewers with an allegiance to whole-cone hops. They do extensive work with hop flavor, especially focusing on clever and delicious single-hop beers highlighting the same hop grown in different regions. They too share our roots in home brewing and never lost their passion for working with new beers and styles solely for the joy of making something new.
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Now I will be the first to admit, I am not super familiar with this style of beer, so I did some research. An altbier is considered an ale, but it top fermented (like a lager). It also is German for “Old Beer”
APPEARANCE:
Dark copper-like color, gorgeous head and really sexy lacing on this. Has the appearance of a dark lager.
AROMA:
Really not getting much aroma out of this. I’m getting the faintest hint of citrus hops, but not much else.
TASTE:
Honestly tastes like a red ale mixed with a lager. Has a lager mouth feel and aftertaste, but it tastes like a red ale when you are drinking it. I’m surprised at 50 IBUs I’m not getting more hop characteristics out of this. Needless to say, this still has a really nice flavor.
OVERALL:
My first beer out of this 12 pack, and I chose it because it was the beer style I knew the least about. I wanted to try it, I wanted to get to know it. I think the style is pretty tasty, especially when it’s hot out. Leaves a bit of an awkward aftertaste (much like some lagers I’ve had). But other than that this beer is a solid one.
RATING:
3.5 out of 5
Until the next beer:
Beer God
