Altstadt Altbier

Brewery Name: Wide Street Brewing Co.
Beer Style: Altbier
ABV: 4.6%
Brewed In: Ballymahon, Co. Longford, Ireland

Tasting Notes

Let’s get into this classic German-style ale, Wide Street’s take on an Altbier.

• Appearance: Deep copper to light mahogany with bright clarity and a tight off-white head. Very traditional, very clean.
• Aroma: Toasted malt, biscuit and light caramel lead the way, followed by gentle floral and herbal hop notes. A soft hint of dried fruit and a touch of nuttiness round it out.
• Flavour: Smooth toasted malt upfront with subtle caramel and biscuit sweetness. The hops bring a classic German edge — herbal, earthy and slightly spicy — balancing the malt without overpowering it. A clean, drying bitterness comes through at the end, giving it that unmistakable Altbier snap.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-light body with smooth carbonation. Clean, crisp and incredibly drinkable. The finish is dry and tidy, making it a lovely balanced ale for December.

About the Brewery: Wide Street Brewing Co.

Wide Street Brewing Co. is an independent Irish brewery based in Ballymahon, Co. Longford, known for their quality-driven approach, mixed-fermentation releases and a real focus on traditional European styles alongside modern favourites. They work with open fermentation, natural carbonation and unfiltered beer, keeping everything as natural and expressive as possible.

While they’re well known for saisons, mixed ferm ales and crisp lagers, Wide Street also love diving into heritage beer styles — and Altstadt is exactly that. Brewed as a nod to Düsseldorf’s iconic Altbier, it blends malt depth, yeast character and clean hop flavour into a beer that feels old-world, honest and incredibly refreshing.

Their beers always strike a balance between tradition and creativity, and Altstadt is a brilliant example of their skill with classic brewing techniques.

If you’re enjoying this one, you’ll find more crisp, malt-forward gems in our Other Beer Styles collection or explore more Irish favourites in our Irish Craft Beer collection.

Style Spotlight: Altbier

Altbier is a classic German style from Düsseldorf — a hybrid of sorts, combining ale fermentation with lager-like cool conditioning.

Origins: The name Altbier means “old beer”, referring to the older ale-brewing methods that existed before lagers took over Germany. Brewers in Düsseldorf continued this tradition, refining the style into something crisp, clean and beautifully balanced.

Key Characteristics: Expect toasted malt, light caramel, gentle nuttiness and a subtle fruitiness from the ale yeast. Hops are herbal, spicy and restrained. Bitterness is firm but clean, finishing dry and refreshing. Colour usually sits between deep copper and mahogany.

Modern Takes: Good Altbier is all about balance, subtlety and drinkability — and Wide Street’s version captures that perfectly. It’s malt-forward without heaviness, hoppy without being sharp, and as crisp as any good German pint.

If You Like This Beer, You Might Also Enjoy…

IIf Altstadt is your kind of beer, you’ll probably enjoy other styles that balance malt character, subtle hops and a clean finish. Here are a few great places to explore next on TheCru.ie:

• Explore more Red & Brown Ales for caramel, biscuit and gentle roast character.
• Try some Dark Lagers if you like smooth, toasty malt with a crisp lager finish.
• For something clean and subtly fruity, take a look at our Kölsch-style beer.
• Browse more small-batch Irish breweries in our Irish Craft Beer section.
  Or, if you enjoy malt-led beers with expressive yeast character, explore our Belgian & Trappist collection.
  

These categories are ideal if you enjoy balanced, malt-forward beers with that same clean, drinkable character that makes Altbier such a lovely style.

Share Your Experience

Enjoying Day 4?

Snap a photo of your Altstadt pour and share it with us — tag @TheCru.ie and use #TheCruIE on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube.
We love seeing how everyone is enjoying their Advent beers throughout December!