Long Trail Double Bag

Brewed by Long Trail Brewery
Style: Altbier
Bridgewater Corners, Vermont USA

In keeping with the tradition of altbier from Dusseldorf, Long Trail decided in 1994, to brew up a stickebier or "secret beer" which is a bigger, stronger, rarer version of alt. Double Bag is a stickebier, or "double alt" that is a bigger, maltier, stronger version of Long Trail Ale. This beer was indeed a secret, much like the stickebiers of Dusseldorf, it could only be found on draught at the visitor center of the brewery. It was not advertised, and if you wanted it, you had to know the secret, and ask for it. But a beer this good can not stay a secret for long, and it got out of the double bag. So Long Trail decided to bottle this one, and make it availble year round. Long Trail Double Bag pours to a beautiful, bright, deep copper color with an off white head, and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose is very malty, with aromas of sweet malt paired with some herbal hop aromas, and some estery fruit aromas. The body is slick on the tongue with lots of good caramel and toffee flavors with subtle flavors of estery fruit. Double Bag finishes with more big malty flavors up front, then ends with a wonderful, snappy, zesty burst of herbal/grassy hop bitterness. Double Bag comes in at 7.2% abv and is dangerously drinkable for a beer of this strength. I love this beer, and this beer style. Big malty character up front and a big burst of herbal hop bitterness in the finish. I think it is fantastic that a domestic brewery would do this very rare style of altbier. Double Bag is a very drinkable beer with lots of flavor, and would work well with hearty dishes. Match this one with some grilled bratwursts, or perhaps a classic German meal of saeurbraten, red cabbage, spatzel, and pumpernickel.

Double bag poured an iced tea clear brown color and virtually no foam. More of a biscuit flavor followed closely by a floral hop aftertaste. I’m not sure about this Altbier, it had flavor and was a "big beer", maybe a bit too big for me.

Nice amber brown color, nice head, nice feel, nice slightly sweet taste, enjoyable finish.

(Bottle) Pours a medium amber with a full biscuit head. Aroma muted, some maltiness. Good lacing. Mouthfeel smooth, very slightly syrupy and sticky. Taste has kind of an alcohol-sweet quality, faintly malty. A little bitter in finish. Not real noteworthy except for higher ABV than your average beer.

Big thanks to Tracy for toting this from Vermont for me! Orange pour with a smallish white head. Decent lacing. Nose is initially hoppy citrus with a bit of pine, but notes of caramel and malt shine through. Flavor is malty, slightly sweet, with a slight hop bitterness in the finish. This is VERY drinkable, and goes down easy. The alcohol is well hidden. Not real complex, but a very nice session brew. Would buy again!

Clear orange/brown body with medium off white bubbly lacing head. Caramel, citrus, malt aroma. Flavor is malty sweet, light caramel and some pine. Smooth palate with a hint of carbonation to round out the mouthfeel.

Surprisingly strong beer. A decent brew that has hops up the wazoo. Not amazing, but drinkable.

Pours a translucent red amber with an average light tan head that left nice lacing. Aroma is light caramelt malt. Flavor is piney hops with a nice sweet malt backbone and some roastiness. I’ve had a few other Long Trail beers that weren’t too hot, so this was a nice surprise.