Schell Schmaltzs Alt

Brewed by August Schell Brewing Company
Style: Altbier
New Ulm, Minnesota USA

As it sets in my glass a deep mahogany, almost an opaque brown, the head is commodious, the texture is creamy and light tan in color, as it erodes the lace formed is a thick and sticky sheet upon the glass. Lots of malt in the nose, sweet caramel, a tad peatish, fresh and appealing, the start sweet, and the top lean in its feel. Finish is stinging in its acidity, the hops pleasing to the palate, dry and lingering aftertaste, a quite quaffable beer at any rate.

Nice dark caramel color and tan head start this one. Aroma is a little sweet and fairly nice. The flavor is nice and fairly easy drinking. A good beer, though lacking something to take it to the next level.

The best brew in Schell's lineup. Roasted malt aroma with hints of cinnamon & nutmeg. You could package this as a winter brew and nobody would think twice. Light brown head, mostly diminishing. Reddish brown in appearance. Nice lacing. Nicely balanced, good flavor. Recommended.

A dark beer with a long lasting head. Slight caramel aroma. Very malty taste, it took me awhile to figure out that this beer has more taste and characteristics of a Brown ale than an Alt. I could find none of the bitterness or bite associated with an alt. Above average as a brown ale below average as an alt. Disappointing since I was looking forward to an Alt.

Poured very dark ruby-brown with a cola head that was completely gone in short order. Malty aroma but foreshadowing the metallic notes in the flavor. The flavor has some other depth, including suggestions of something spicy and something Scottish. Lots of malts, a bit of bitter chocolate. Thin, watery palate with a bit of carbonation remaining. Drinkable and decent, though flawed in some noticeable ways.

Attractive dark red color, not much head, but the head is long lasting and solid. Slighty sweet malty aroma. Very subtle chocolate taste along with malt flavors and a little bit of hops. This is a surprisingly interesting beer.

Malty for an alt, to me it is better than the more bitter Dusseldorf style alts. Just my opinion.

The second bottle tastes even better than the first - but two is my limit. Serving temperature really influences this alt; I prefer chilled to refrigerator temperature, then left at room temperature for 10 minutes before cracking. Body is not as heavy as it looks to the innocents. This alt has a strong chocolate nose but is much more complex than the first impression. A friend of mine really loves this mixed with an American lager; about 50:50. I recommend this alt with many German dishes that include sausage. I really like the finish.