Sunday River Alt

Brewed by Sunday River Brewpub and Restaurant
Style: Altbier
Bethel, Maine USA

My Bottom Line:
Mineral notes mar this Altbier’s caramel and toasted malts, as herbal hops succeed in piercing the watery body.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A ring of foam circles the amber-hued copper.
-As for every beer they had that day, the loose and somewhat empty mouthfeel was not inspiring at all.
-Dried fruitiness can found throughout.
-Hoppy bitterness is levelled, but unpolished.

On tap at the brewpub.

amber pour with small 2 finger white head.sweet malt flavor. all beers i have had from this brewer taste watered down (rice or corn)?

On tap at the Great Lost bear. Pours a coppery orange with a thin white head. Malty nose with some fruitiness in there. Very very smooth moutfeel. Pretty yummy flavors, surprisingly hoppy for an Altbier but that’s a standard American take on things i think :)

on tap at the GLB . bronze colored pour , small white head good lace . very nice malted aroma with a touch of hoppiness .sweet malt flavor that turns bitter in the middle and finishes dry . good hop backbone, very drinkable ,nice carbonation ,smooth good beer.

Maine Brewers Festival 2005. Copper amber body with a small white head. Subtle malt in the aroma with a touch of dry caramel? Similar notes in the flavour. Sweet maltiness but surprisingly dry overall impression. Average palate. This was a bit subtle for this late in the evening but it was quite pleasant nonetheless.

Had on draught. Medium bronze color with smallish head. Nice malted aroma. Tasted semi-sweet with sweet malts but still light on the tongue. Nice hop backup. Enjoyable beer from a small brewer, probably their best.

Pours a deep copper with a thick ivory head. Lots of lace. Smell is surprisingly hoppy. Taste is malty followed by surprisingly strident hops. Some light caramel malt and floral hops. Nice creamy mouthfeel and very drinkable. Not balanced very well which is not a deal brewker for me. however, I like my alts to be unbalalnced on the malt side. not nearly malty enough to stand up to the hops. Good beer but not a great alt.

I’m not a big fan, perhaps its just the style. Fairly light yet it still manages to have a good, if understated malty flavor and slightly hoppy aftertaste. It just needs to be "more", but then it wouldn’t be an alt.