Southampton Altbier

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Altbier
Southampton, New York USA

One of my favorite styles on the planet, is a unique German beer style called altbier. I love alt so much, I actually made a pilgrimage to Dusseldorf, Germany, the home of altbier, and spent a glorious afternoon drinking as much alt beer has I could. Altbier is a fantastic beer style. It is a hoppy/malty, clean, refreshing copper ale (most German beers are lagers), that is just a fantastic drinking beer. It has a warm ferment giving it some fruity/estery character, but a cold conditioning, that makes it clean, round, and smooth. It is a style that is elusive here in the United States, and one that you most often will find only at your local brewpub. Sadly, most brewpubs while they brew up a nice beer, don’t do a stylistically accurate version of alt, so it really is something special, to get an authentic, domestic alt bier here in the States. Anyone who has ever run in any East Coast beer circles, or knows the craft beer scene in the United States, has heard of the Southampton Publik House of Southampton, NY. Established in 1996, this brewpub is without question, one of the most impressive in the United States, and has one of America’s most talented brewers in Phil Markowski. His beers have won slews off awards, and one such beer is Southampton Secret Ale. Secret Ale is an authentic Dusseldoft altbier, and is named after a stickebier or "secret beer", which is a bigger, stronger, rarer version of alt. At 5.2% abv Southampton Secret is more of an altbier than a stickebier, and it is a fantastic domestic example of this Dusseldorf classic. In 2004 the Southampton Publik House decided to contract some bottle production of their beers out to Mendicino Brewing Company’s, Saratoga Springs, NY brewery, and they are doing a fantastic job. Southampton beers have recently became available in Northern Virginia, and they are a very welcome addition. Southampton Secret Ale pours to a beautiful, bright, copper color with a white head that fades, and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer is just fantastic with lots of good, vibrant, grassy/herbal hop aroma. This leads into a very fresh, clean, sweet malty and fruity palate. Southampton Secret Ale then ends with more sweet malt and fruit, then finishes with a snappy/zesty herbal hop bite that lingers. This beer would be at home in Dusseldorf. Southampton Secret stylistically is the most accurate domestic example of alt I have tasted. I think it is fantastic that this beer is available in bottles, and at $6 a six pack it is well worth it, as alt is a very under represented style here in the US. A fantastic drinking beer, and a beer that would work well with light to hearty fare, this beer is one well worth seeking out. The secret is out, and I for one will be telling everyone this secret.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. Pours a beautiful maroon body with no head. Aroma is that of caramel, roasted malts and nuts, and also citrus hops. Flavor reminds me of an English bitter. Palate is smooth, creamy and a nice crisp finish.

Very good, Nice aroma, rich and malty, medium dark color, nut brown. Head that lasts and lasts. Slightly bitter, but very refreshing. Would definatly buy again

Bottle as Altbier, @ Redlight Redlight. This is a bottle full of WIN. Deep bronze color, firm head. Nose is pungent with a deep melanoidin malt that hints at a vinous fruitiness somewhat reminscent of port wine - but then its coupled with a strongly perfumed floral hop. Man, this is just a dead on altbier flavor with a nice creamy palate, firm malt presence (toffee, cookies, brown sugar) and a serious hop bitterness. Hop flavoring tends to floral. Long bitter finish. They just nailed it.

Beer poured a beautiful caramel brown color. Aroma was sweet and earthy. Flavor was a wonderful rich malty flavor, with caramel sweetness and some nuttiness. Could pass as a brown ale, and a great one at that. A touch of bitterness at the end perfectly balanced this beer and made it crisp and refreshing despite the sweetness. I LOVED IT!

Pours a dark brown shadow with a white, fluffy head. Aroma of nicely roasted caramel malt. Creamy smooth, unusual in its mild complexity, yet incredibly malty and easy to drink. Lightly hopped for a nicely rounded slightly sweet finish. Great.

Bottle pours clear amber with thin white head. Aroma is caramel with a little hops. The first taste is sweet malt, then a slight bitterness with a nice well balanced clean finish.

Pours a light orange hue, thick offwhite lasting head, lacing on the glass, brilliant clarity. Nose is rich pilsner and munich malts, hints of euro hops, and slight esters. Flavor is spot-on for the style: rich, well-attenuated malts with hints of nuttiness, moderate noble hop bitterness and flavor, slight mineral tones in the dry finish. Medium body, smooth to watery texture, medium carbonation. A wonderful example of a rarer style, this embodies the Dusseldorf alt genre, very flavorful and easy-drinking in the session range, I almost finished mine before I started rating!