Gordon Biersch Alt

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Altbier
Palo Alto, California USA

Nice flavor, mellow grassy taste. Big fan of this. Washington, DC location. One of the best places to have a beer and casual early evening conversation in DC.

Pint glass from San Diego’s Mission Valley Brewpub. Served from tap to a pint glass. The pour was a medium brown color with some amber highlights. The head was off-white, creamy, ample and had good retention. The aroma was muted (probably because the beer was served way too cold) I detected a faint trace of molasses and some nuttiness. The flavor was rich with walnuts, roasted malts, anise, cloves and molasses. The mouthfeel was full, smooth and creamy. The finish was long with lingering biter walnuts. Overall: I was pleasantly surprises and impressed by this beer. Better than the average Gordon Biersch offering.

On tap at the Bolingbrook, IL. location. Poured a clear, brownish copper with amber tones showing through into a GB Willy Becker/Imp. pint glass. The head was frothy, off white foam, almost light tan, following with wavy sheets of very clingy lacing. The aroma was smooth malt with a touch of roastiness, a bit of grain, and some light caramel and malty sweetness. The flavor was very similar, and added a firm hop bitterness and a smooth and clean drinkability. The assertive bitterness along with some pleasant dryness followed through into the finish. A very nice Altbier in the Northern German style. Good job, Kevin.

This was incredibly easy drinking, almost to the point of being thin. Nice brown color, some malt and hops in the flavor, mostly indistinct. But only $3 at happy hour, so that was good.

Okay. So mayhaps I was unduly influenced in my rating by the attractive lady behind the bar and her two lovely, large, lucious eyes (Caught you by surprise, didn’t I, RAYBOY01?), but I liked this beer.
It poured a clear brownish-copper body with a respectable, sustained pale beige head. Good lacing. The aroma was toasted grains, lightly roasted malt, a subdued caramel presence, and an earthy, herbal hop bitterness. The hoppy bitternes grew during the drinking and tipped the scale in its favor, but the rich maltiness, seasoned with black pepper, remained sturdy throughout. The finish was dry and peppery with an herbal/earthy bitterness. Nice.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Bolingbrook, IL<font size=-1>

On tap at brewery. Brown with a white head. Faint malty aroma. Good grainy slightly nutty and roasty taste decent.

draft at plano location, almond colored pour with slight head, bitter malty aroma, flavors tend towards dusty caramel and fruity bitter, better than expected

On tap at the Arena District location. Pours a deep amber with a big frothy beige head. Malty aroma with some crisp hops for balance. Hop flavor up front with malt on the back end. Not knocking my socks off, but a solid Altbier.