Schwelmer Alt
Privatbrauerei Schwelm

Schwelmer AltSchwelmer Alt
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Privatbrauerei Schwelm
 
Germany
Style:
Altbier
ABV:
4.2%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.65 | pDev: 12.88%
Reviews:
111
Ratings:
117
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 27, 2021
Added:
Jul 13, 2003
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.75 by emerge077 from Illinois

Oct 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by Pog-Mo-Thoin from Michigan

Jan 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by BillRoth from Maryland

Dec 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois

Aug 04, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by cliff1066 from Virginia

Dec 10, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by JohnK17 from Pennsylvania

Feb 05, 2012
Photo of dasenebler
Reviewed by dasenebler from Maine

2.99/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
.5L Bügelflasche, best before 8/17/2011.

Pours a nice and clear ruby-brown, but the head is like a cola.

The aroma has some nice toasted malts at first, with a faint mineral/metallic character in the background.

The flavor is okay, but just a bit flat in my opinion. It's very simple, with crusty bread flavors and the slightest bit of toffee if you really dig deep. The finish is drying and off in some way. The mouthfeel is soda-like, though the carbonation stays soft.

Nothing special here. Maybe this bottle is a bit past its prime (expires in two months), but I don't see this being much better fresh.
Jun 10, 2011
Photo of Knapp85
Reviewed by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This beer poured out as a reddish brown color with a tan colored head that was pretty thin. The aromas were of a lot of grains and malt. There isn't a whole lot of hops on the nose or much else. Perhaps a little spice but that's about it. The taste is mostly dry malt, some fresh leaves some other flavors of nature in there. The mouthfeel is medium, It's drinkable and worth trying again. I was better than I expected.
Apr 19, 2011
Photo of Durge
Reviewed by Durge from Connecticut

3.57/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A dark but clear rosey mahogany color with an off-white/grey whimpy head that fades to a ring with modest lacing. The aroma is a malty-root, brown sugar and sour mash. The flavor is sour malt and weak wheat grain goodness. But it's quite thin and watery, minimal carbonation, a bit tingly. Drinkable but not desirable particularly. I can't really pick up any other qualities, just kind of non-descript, not one I will revisit.
May 10, 2009
Photo of beerorRIP
Reviewed by beerorRIP from New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
poured from the nice 0.5L swingtop (homebrewer's friend for sure) to a tall 0.5L stein.

pours a nice deep mahogany / cherry-brown color. very (filtered) clear. results in a nice creamy looking off-white head two finger head with a steady stream of small bubbles rising to keep the head. the head hangs around a surprising amount of time ~1/2 finger worth. sticky lacing.

smells like sweet malts, a dab of caramel. hops? not that i can detect, although the style is not supposed to be hop nose heavy.

a slightly sweet malt taste upfront, and a dry (bitter) finish. somewhat thin in taste, but it's not a sticke alt, so this is somewhat expected. pleasant and easy.

a somewhat thicker than expected mouthfeel. not a negative, but for the amount of flavor i almost expected it to be a bit thinner. kinda explains that creamy head i would say.

easy to drink for certain, and coming in swingtop bottles throwing back a couple to make room for homebrew wouldn't be difficult at all. but not the alt that i would want to drink all the time.

this was my first alt beer that i remember. i've had others since, but i figured i'd review this one first.
Mar 11, 2009
Photo of LilBeerDoctor
Reviewed by LilBeerDoctor from New York

2.04/5  rDev -44.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Reviewed on 9/5/08. Bottle. Pours a dark brown with a small tan head. Aroma of raisin, dark fruits, some cardboard. Yep, this tastes like the other Schwelmer beers even though it's a different style. Cardboard and stale wheat. Blech.
4/4/3/3/10 (2.4/5)
Dec 26, 2008
Photo of scottoale
Reviewed by scottoale from California

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
330ml. small brown bottle with a swing-top stopper and a "Best before end: 88 10 70", whenever the heck that is? It pours a dark chestnut brown with a thin light tan head that fades to a ring almost instantly. When held to the light, nice burgundy highlights shine through. Decent carbonation for the style.

The smell is sweet and nutty, with grainy malts and a bit of roast. A little fruitiness and a wee bit of alcohol peeks though in the end.

The taste is similar to the smell with it's nuttiness and fruit of green apple and muscat grapes. Mostly sweet and nutty, some tobacco, with a bitter clean finish.

Medium body at best, with a rather astringent mouthfeel. An easy drinker with the mild alcohol not really noticeable, except in the nose. Worth a try for the style and a nice re-useable bottle.
Dec 25, 2008
Photo of magictrokini
Reviewed by magictrokini from California

3.26/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured a dark copper with a medium tan head. Lots of caramel and bread in the aroma. Flavor was dense with caramel and malt, with a bitter end. No hops, mostly sour apple. Some fruitiness, with a heavier than expected mouthfeel. Its okay, but not worth doing again.
Dec 05, 2008
Photo of beerkittycat
Reviewed by beerkittycat from Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance is crystal clear, deep chocolate brown with ruby red highlights and a rocky off-white head that lingers for only a moment or two to settle in a thin layer. Aroma has bready malts with notes of milk chocolate and bread dough along with some faint flowery noble hops. The taste is very complex and it took me nearly the whole glass to nail down all the flavors. Up front I'm hit with sweet chocolate and bread dough. Through the middle I taste those flowery noble hops and hazelnut. Then in the finish is a distinct sherry-like note. Medium to medium low mouthfeel makes this highly drinkable and the restrained carbonation compared to most other German lagers I think really helped bring out the robust flavors. I really enjoyed this beer a lot and I'm upset I didn't pick up more bottles. Oh well, I guess I'll have to buy more!
Nov 17, 2008
Photo of beerthulhu
Reviewed by beerthulhu from New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A: Poured a dark ruby red with a thin, macro-bubbly off white head that almost immediately dissipated. Visible carbonation was very light.

S: ripe fruit (prunes, plums), sweet dark caramel, and light licorice notes.

T: sweet dark roasted caramel and licorice. There was some spicy ripe fruit (plums, prunes, raisins) and light sugary notes. The hopping was hard to detect with the sweet caramel and spicy ripe fruit but there was some earthiness that was attributed.

M: light, with a thin syrupy viscosity and full of ripe fruit leaving a nice residual coating behind. The carbonation was very soft.

D: Overall a good drinking and hoppy alt with rich ripe fruit makes this and enjoyable experience that was rich and fruity and smooth going down.
Nov 10, 2008
Photo of junkman203
Reviewed by junkman203 from Connecticut

3.46/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
I bought this in a 0.5 liter bottle that had a resealable top, like grolsch. It pours with very little head, which went away quickly, with no lacing. Very dark brown. It has a nutty smell with hints of sweetness. And the taste is similar, with malt. Medium carbonation. This is my first try with an altbier, so I have no others to compare it to. I do like it, even though it is a little on the light side for my taste.
Oct 14, 2008
Photo of kshankar
Reviewed by kshankar from Oregon

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a dark brown with some reddish/copperish colors showing if put near light. Mainly comes from the reflection. Looks good so far.

Aroma: Mild. I can get some sweetness, and caramel.

Taste: Pretty good...it has a nice amount of sweetness to it, and there is a nice maltiness to it. A little bitterness in the finish, but not much. Alcohol presence is low as well.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, goes down well. Medium body, a bit creamy.

Drinkability: Works for me. Not too heavy, not too much alcohol content, good taste. Not much can go wrong with a couple of these.
Oct 01, 2008
Photo of BeerSox
Reviewed by BeerSox from Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
500ml bottle into nonic.

Deep brown hue with plenty of ruby along the edges. A thick cap results from a one finger off white head.

Very light aroma with toasty grains and a little bit of caramel.

A mix of roasted grains and sweet brown sugar. A touch of creaminess is in there as well. Full bodied with good carbonation. The malts linger for a bit after each sip.

This is a pretty delicate beer, with light flavors and aromas, but it's pretty good. There is something to be appreciated about that. Very recommended.
Sep 06, 2008
Photo of jmscott
Reviewed by jmscott from New Jersey

3.71/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served in a glass mug from a .5-liter bottle.

Appearance is deceiving. It looks a lot heavier than it really is. The color of cherry coke, with a thin white head that slowly dissipates into an even lacing. It has a very subtle aroma, similar to that of a traditional Scottish Amber but with more of a sweetness. It's a full-bodied taste that goes down incredibly smooth. Has a relatively mild bitterness in the aftertaste and a watery mouthfeel. Not quite enough "uumph" for my personal preference, but I certainly can't put it down. This is a genuine beer-drinkers' beer.
May 04, 2008
Photo of Lupe
Reviewed by Lupe from New York

3.71/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
A big frothy tan foam sits atop the brown liquid. Reddish hues appear when held to the light, along some clarity. Thick sheets of lace cling to the glass. Very nice.

Mild aroma with toasted malt and hints of sweetness, fruit, and hops.

Flavors of toasted grain, fresh bread, and a touch of brown sugar. Mild fruit and the perfect amount of hops for balance. Finish is where the complexity lies, with some yeastiness, nuts, a little roasted malt, and spicy & herbal hops.

Light in body and fairly thin on the tongue. Smooth and lightly carbonated. Lacks a bit in flavor, but enjoyable and very drinkable. Good session beer that won't get in the way.
Mar 21, 2008
Schwelmer Alt from Privatbrauerei Schwelm
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 117 ratings