Altbier

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A Diebels Alt

Altbier (often abbreviated to Alt) is a dark, top-fermented type of beer (an ale) from Düsseldorf and the Niederrhein region in Germany.

The name Altbier, which literally means old beer, refers to the old brewing style (top-fermenting yeast and dark malt). Up to the 1950s, Alt was also called Düssel (from Düsseldorf), but since the term is not a Protected Designation of Origin, Altbier may also be produced outside of the Düsseldorf region. Venlo, a city in the Netherlands on the German border near Düsseldorf, produces the first Dutch Altbier. [1] Similar varieties, also called altbiers, are associated with some other cities in Germany, particularly Hannover.

Düsseldorf and Cologne are long-time rivals, though today it mostly comes down to whose beer is better, Düsseldorf's Altbier or Cologne's Kölsch, another top-fermented beer.

In America, Alt style beer is something of a rarity, but examples of the style are produced by the premium breweries of Alaskan Brewing Company (under the label of Alaskan Amber) and Long Trail Brewing Company in Vermont.

Some alt breweries have a tradition of producing a strong ale known as Sticke Alt, coming from a local dialect word meaning "secret". It is generally a seasonal or special occasion brew, and is stronger and sometimes darker than the brewery's standard output.

[edit] Altbier Song (Das Altbier Lied)

There is a song about Altbier, sung in Düsseldorf, especially during Karneval. The lyrics are as follows:

Jeder Mensch der liebt nun mal stolz sein Heimatland
Darum lieben wir, ganz klar, unseren Rheinschen Strand
Wo der Alte Schlossturm steht da sind wir zu Haus´
Weil es ohne Bier nicht geht rufen wir ganz schnell heraus:

[Chorus]
Ja, sind wir im Wald hier? Wo bleibt unser Altbier?
Wir haben in Düsseldorf die längste Theke der Welt, jajajaja
Ja, sind wir im Wald hier? Wo bleibt unser Altbier?
Wo ist denn der Held der mit seinem Geld die Runde bestellt?

Machen wir 'ne Herrentour an die schöne Ahr
Trinken wir Burgunder nur, das ist sonnenklar
Spätestens um Mitternacht ist die Sehnsucht groß
Nach dem Glas vom Altbierfass und der ganze Verein singt dann los:

[Chorus]

Translation:

Everybody loves his home country
That's why we obviously love the beach along the Rhine
Where the old castle tower is standing that is where we are at home
As we cannot be without beer we quickly shout out:

[Chorus]
Well, are we in the Woods? Where is our Altbier?
We in Düsseldorf have the longest bar in the world, yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah
Well, are we in the Woods? Where is our Altbier?
Where is the hero that orders a round with his money?

Let's go for a guys tour along the beautiful Ahr
Let's drink burgundy only, well that's obvious
But once midnight comes around what we want is clear
After a glas of beer from the Altbier barrel the whole group starts to sing:

[Chorus]