What’s A Sticke Alt?
This month, Summit Brewing released Unchained 20: Sticke Ale. It’s a dark, malty, and fairly hoppy brew.
So, what is this beer, and how do you pronounce it?
Summit Brewing explains: Sticke Alt, a maltier and hoppier version of traditional Altbier, is a mysterious concoction of hops and malts that is never brewed the same way twice. For Batch 20 in the Summit Unchained Series, Brewer Mike Lundell’s Sticke Alt builds on this tradition with a light hoppy nose, slightly sweet malts and a clean, mellow finish. So spread the word to your best beer-loving friends, because this limited edition brew won’t be around for long.
Beer Advocate goes into further detail on the definition of an Altbier: Altbier is a German style brown ale, the alt literally translates to “old” in German, and traditionally Altbiers are conditioned for a longer than normal periods of time. Other sources note that “alt” is derived from the Latin word “altus,” which means “high” and refers to the rising yeast. Take your pick, but the extended conditioning mellows out the ale’s fruitiness and produces an exceptionally smooth and delicate brew. The color ranges from amber to dark brown, medium in carbonation with a great balance between malt and hops. “Sticke” is a stronger version of an Altbier, thus a bit more malty and hoppy to boot.
And, for those who are interested, the German Beer Institute provides an English pronunciation: “Shtick-uh ullt”
*Photo via Summit Brewing
