Schumacher Alt

Brewed by Brauerei Ferdinand Schumacher
Style: Altbier
Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Schumacher Altbier pours to a beautiful, bright, deep copper color, with a bright white head and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer has some herbal/grassy aroma, but I also get some nice toasty/nutty malt aroma as well. This leads into a very clean, smooth body with good nutty and toasty malt flavor paired with a hint of estery fruit. Schumacher Altbier finishes with more dry maltiness up front, then ends with a pleasing herbal hop bite that lingers. Drinking the classic altbiers of Dusseldorf really taught me some valuable lessons. It showed me the subtle differences in a beer style, and range within a beer style. All these altbiers are similar, yet they all have their own unique character that makes them their own beers. Schumacher had a pleasing "dry" malt character that made it different from other alts I tried, and it was a very delicious, drinkable, beer, a perfect one to wrap up a day of drinking in the classic alt houses of Dusseldorf. I really enjoyed this one, and only wish I could have stayed longer and enjoyed more. Schumacher is a must visit for anyone coming to Dusseldorf.

Many happy hours sampling this beer at their Stammhaus in Dusseldorf. My favourite alt of the trip - so drinkable and morish, not as bitter or dark as Uerige and not as light and hoppy as Schlussel, just a happy medium in between. The Stammhaus is also an excellent local compared to the taverns in the Altstadt than can be raucaus and slightly touristy.

Draught at Schumacher in Dusseldorf. What a beer! - awesome nutty notes like in a prime English ale with slightly sweet notes but also bitter at the same time. Awesome one, want more!

From tap: Very fresh and pure taste. Brewed without any antidegradants. One of my favorite beers!

[On tap at brewery] Clear, copper coloured with a large, persistent and fine head. The aroma is light and malty with lots of biscuity, bready notes and and spicey, slightly herbaceous hoppy accents. Light on the palate, more biscuity notes and a dry finish. Very drinkable. One of the best session beers I’ve ever had.

One of the less bitter-more drinkable strictly "local" Alts. Amber and somewhat reminiscent of some porters. Joy to find (by far not as big as Diebels or Frankenheim, but luckily a lot more available than Duessel or Schluessel).

Gravity - Beautiful clear red copper body with the creamiest perfect off white head; Super well made clear nose with lots of fruity aromas backed by a balanced amount of malt and noble hop aromas; Soft bitter balanced body with a small very pleasant amount of sharp carbonation; Very long fruity malty bitter fresh finish with green nut and bubblegum aromas. Amazing beer (at an amazing bar)

draught at the brewery outlet in Düsseldorf Altstadt - clear copper coloured with a solid persistent beige foam; earthy and nutty aroma, fairly hoppy; respectable malt body and a robust bitterness; long earthy nutty finish, flowery with notes of caramel - wonderful and still deeply enjoyable after many glasses