Altbier - Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

At the Iron Hill Newark's Cask Fest...
Appears a murky, orange toned amber with a small, light tan head. No lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of toffee, caramel, spicy hops, and light roasted malts.
Taste is of the aromas with a nutty base and a bitter, hoppy blast.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied with bitter hops clinging to the palate on the finish.

Serving type: cask

12-31-2007 20:06:32 | More by weeare138

ROGUE16

Delaware

4/5  rDev +6.1%

12-07-2011 13:11:54 | More by ROGUE16

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

- Served in traditional pint glass. 4.8%.

A: Poured a rustic-amber with a frothy, pancake head that was parch in color but dissipated rather quickly thereafter. A light sense of carbonation with some bubble wrap macro bubbles appear on the surface.

S: The nose was stronger then expected per style, a good thing of course, with a rich creamy chocolate malting making its presence known. Per style, little or no hop influence, instead letting the malting have its day with a slight traces of coffee roastediness rounding things out.

T: Smoky chocolate along with a soft roasty coffee presence already guaranteed this good regards from the very first sip. Earthy peat notes with a light roasty fade finishes things out. This was definitely a malt forward beer, well suited per style with dry cocoa sweetness that will keep you coming back for more.

M: A moderate mouthful and lax carbonation rounds out with a dry light roasty fade earns this pretty decent regards here.

D: Very drinkable, cleanly brewed with a beautiful roasty and dry chocolate fade. Drank like a cross between a Schwarz and a brown ale, rich in character and malt, well suited per style. I almost had this beer gone before I could finish this review so growler worthy for fans of this limited exposed style. Proof that a small beer % wise can deliver big flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2010 17:03:38 | More by beerthulhu

DIM

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

a: This was a clear, coppery brown color. It was served to me with a small, fizzy white head.

s: Oddly, the first thing that came to mind was saffron. The hops were plentiful and on the spicy side. I also found a little grainy roast.

t: Very dry overall. The spicy hop notes took center stage here as well. The maltiness seemed subdued, I couldn't pick much out.

m: Fizzy carbonation and a lingering spice note.

d: I don't know much about the style, but this one didn't quite come together for me.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2010 10:36:08 | More by DIM

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Deep brown tinged copper with a thin off-white head that left spotty lace.

S-Light malt swetness and a bit of bouncy fruitiness. Quite clean with a hint of caramel upon warming.

T-Light roastiness and a bit of caramel. A touch of brown sugar and apple/pear fruitiness. Quite nice for an alt.

M-Medium-light body with a crisp, clean touch. Flavours quickly pass.

D-Nice, smooth, crisp and easy going. Plenty of flavour with the malt and fruity esters balancing well.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2009 08:59:44 | More by Deuane

Phatz

Pennsylvania

2.63/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Historically I respect the Iron Hill chain beers and typically I enjoy an altbier. This one, however, was a bit of a disappointment. I had a Boulder Beer Never Summer Strong Ale first. Did that wreck my palate? Whatever the explanation I was not overly impressed with this beer. It was served a clear copper color with a frothy cap a top. The smell and taste seemed to be very vegetable like. This vegetable, salad like, leafy attribute is not what I was excepting. It maybe what the brewer was going for but it is far from any other Alt beer I have had before. There was also some spices and toasted burntness. Still, the malt base is pleasant, and the mouthfeel is solid. I would not want to drink another because I did not enjoy what I had. I will give it another try, another day ...

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2006 20:44:09 | More by Phatz

tomthumbsblues

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer had a good head and produced slight lacing. The color was dark amber in hue. Smell was slightly spicy, but I could detect no other specifics. Taste was a good balance of hops and malt and reminded me of butter...really! Good sweetness like caramel. Mouthfeel was balanced. Really, a good beer all around!

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2004 00:48:03 | More by tomthumbsblues

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bronze highlights accent its clear copper body beneath a thin cap of frothy white foam that holds quite well and leaves sticky lace throughout the glass. The nose is dryish and mineral-like with a highly caramelized malt note and some leafy and spicy hop character. The body is medium as expected, and it's fine-bubbled median carbonation is crisp in the mouth and accentuates its hoppy flavors and bitterness. It's toasty and deeply caramelized malts lean towards burnt sugar but don't go as far as leaving a roasted egde. Its leafy, spicy, and lightly grassy hop flavors and bold bitterness wrap everything up tightly; and it finishes dry with some resinous bitterness and residual spicy and leafy hop flavor. It's quite nice - clean, crisp, and full of flavor... this is an excellent, dead-on interperetation of an altbier from Dusseldorf! It's certainly worth trying for fans of the style; and it stands up to their Cuban Black Bean Chili and pairs well with their Petite Filet Mignon. Another reason to stop in!

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2003 01:06:39 | More by NeroFiddled