Beer Of The Week (Vol XXV)

Last week, after waxing nost-alt-gically for a beer gone by, I stopped in at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits as I am wont to do on Friday afternoons on my way home from work. I wasn't looking for any particular beer to review, just wanted to check out the new arrivals and see if any of the existing inventory caught my eye.

The always affable Bill drew my attention to a brew from Vermont that recently has become available at Glen Lake. It's an interesting offering and will be the subject of next week's Beer of the Week.

After securing a six-pack of said beer, I spent some time perusing the rest of the Glen Lake beer stock. As I mentioned before, unlike most shopping experiences I view my time spent inside a liquor store as a pleasure not a chore. Even after I have completed my selections, I will often linger in the aisles taking in the rich varieties and choices that the wonderful world of booze has to offer.

My browsing paid off last week at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits when I made a most timely discovery. Hullo? What's this? An altbier, right here in front of me? Huzzah!

Of course I didn't say "huzzah!," but instead merely informed Bill that, "I think I'll try this one too." Recalling the glories of Summit's Alt last week had me all jazzed up to get my hands on that style of beer and now I had almost literally walked right into one.

This altbier comes courtesy of BluCreek Brewing, which bills itself as a "home of unique and all natural ales."

Based in Madison (in Wisconsin that is) while using facilities in pristine Black River area, BluCreek Brewing specializes in producing premium--yet unique, all natural hand-crafted beers that stand-out from the other beers crowding today market.

When you check out their selection of beers, the altbier is actually the most traditional style they offer. You're not going to find many brewers with Zen Green Tea IPA, Blueberry Ale, and Honey Herbal Ale in their lineup. They sound like beers that are good and good for you. "Honey, are you getting loaded AGAIN?" "Just trying to stay healthy dear." Several ounces of prevention...

Now, on to the beer.

Brown bottle. The label is in various shades of brown giving it an autumnal feel. It features a simple (very) rendition of a campsite next to a creek framed in barley. In the the background we see mountains which a camper--who appears to be clad in lederhosen--is hiking toward.

Beer Style: Altbier

Alcohol by Volume: 4.0%

COLOR (0-2): Dense medium brown. 2

AROMA (0-2): Malty and nutty. 2

HEAD (0-2): Thick pour, off-white color. Decent lacing. 2

TASTE (0-5): Some sweetness and roasted malt with nice hop flavor. Somewhat reminiscent of a brown ale. Medium body. 3

AFTERTASTE (0-2): Smooth, but a little light. 1

OVERALL (0-6): Good flavor and very drinkable as well. It may not quite compare, but it harkens back to good ol' days of Summit's Dusseldorfer Alt. A great fall beer alternative to the much more ubiquitous Oktoberfest Marzens.

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 14