I may just have found my new favorite beer. My new favorite alt-beer from a German city with an umlaut in its name, at least.
Uerige Doppelsticke is a beer with a cool-sounding appellation that comes in a cool-looking bottle. Those two factors will grab your attention the first time; the big flavor will have you seeking it out again and again. Crafted by Uerige Obergärige Hausbrauerei (est. 1632) in Düsseldorf, the Doppelsticke — at 8.5 percent ABV, it’s a headier version of its cousin, Uerige Sticke — exemplifies that city’s distinctive altbier style:rich and roasty malt-heavy beer that’s assertive and rewardingly complex.
I could smell it from three feet away: a vaguely floral waft smacking of plums and other sweet fruit. The pour’s a beaut too: gorgeous, ruddy copper color with a good-size lacy head. But most entrancing are the viscous, almost chewy body and the rich and multifaceted flavor — restrained at first, then giving way to a riot of raisin and cherry sweetness spiked with warming notes of molasses and rum before leveling off with a nice toasty finish that’s a bit spicy and a little smoky. It’s a perfect winter beer, in other words, especially when served alongside hearty fare like sausage, rich cheese, and stew.
The bottle, a stout body with a long, slender neck capped by a porcelain stopper with a wire-mechanism stay, is distinctive. The beer inside is even more so.
Available for $4.50 for a 11.2-ounce bottle at Bauer Wine & Spirits, 330 Newbury Street, in Boston. Call 617.262.0363.
