Found this at an obscure German delicatessen in Sacramento. Hazy, pale cold color with firm white head formation. Smell is very fresh lemon-grass, somewhat sweet but not cloying. Very full-bodied for light coloring, with a firm, gently-disolving mouthfeel that never gets fizzy. Flavor is pure German alt all the way, with juicy, biscuity sweetness perfectly balanced by an even hop balance that never even thinks about leaping to the forefront. Has the grainy, raw taste of Weihenstaphan lagers - it's the taste of true artisanal craftsmanship. This beer is a triumph!

Bottle pours a slightly hazy pale yellow, large frothy white head, very sticky lacing, with lively carbonation.   Grainy/grassy nose, slightly herbish.   Sweet malty flavor, slightly cornish but subtle, with a minor herbish or tea tinge.   Body and mouthfeel seem medium to full.   Finishes a tad less sweeter, malty, with a sharper tea or herbish flavor.   Pretty damn tasty, and quite interesting.   A great sessionable beer.

Lacing in bottleneck before pouring was a harbinger of a nice thick head that gradually faded to a floating layer of foam that stayed to the end. Pleasant opaque tarnished brass color, but with visible continuously-rising bubbles. Again, great head, beautiful lacing. Not much in the nose, though, except the typical hops herbalness, some nice toasty malt, and a background of lime and yeast. Taste was refreshing and rock-steady from sip to swallow, with a healthy malt wallop, some yeast, citrus, apple, raisin and nutmeg. Mouthfeel was fizzy but solid. Reminded me too much of a strong American macro-lager. Perhaps I was just influenced by the word Schlitz in the brewers name. Good daily drinker.

I feel privileged to have gotten my hands on this extremely rare style - and what a treat it was. This was a Zwickel, I believe, and it was, true-to-style, like lager’s answer to real ale. MASSIVELY yeasty and a tad cloudy, it had a funk and yeast aroma that was delicious. The hops were significant and reminiscent of a bohemian pilsener. Lightly carbonated. Very enjoyable.

From a 1pt. 9oz. euro brown bottle with no bottled/freshness date. Made a good appearance, poured a murky tarnished copper with a foamy white head that settled into a thin bubbly lacing, decent carbonation. Had a sweet fruity, buttery malty nose with a honey nuttiness and spice aromas at the edges. A smooth, slick and creamy full bodied mouth feel, good drinkability. Creamy, sweet, buttery, fruity maltiness upfront, baked apples and pears, a nice dry,spicy, biting, sharp hoppiness, nutty flavors towards the end and a dry, oily, spicy finish with a touch of sweet spicy alcohol lingering in the palate. An enjoyable Helles Alt, malty, biting and spicy, I guess hard to find in some parts. Also the one I sampled was the Urhan Helles Alt, but looks nothing like the one pictured in glass, with a different label as well, and this was not a Kolsch.