Rush River - Uber Altbier

Tonight I found this intriguing little blue bottle of Rush River Altbier.  Rush River is a small brewery out of River Falls, WI that has put together some awesome brews.  One of my favorites is their Imperial IPA that I had a while back (I rated it lower back then than I would today).  Rush River still doesn't have a website up yet, it's been under construction for a while now.  So we don't have much background on this brew, but we do know it's a big Dusseldorf style Doppel altbier, registering at 8.5% ABV.

The beer is a deep, dark orange color with a rich white head - nice looking beer.  The aroma is sweet malts x2, with hints of dark fruits in there, but emphasis on the sweet, caramelized grains.  Very rich smell - I feel like I could spread this on a slice of toast and have it for breakfast.

The drink is the aroma incarnate - big sweet, rich malts up front.  They are dominated by a creamy, nutty flavor, with a little toffee crumbles in there.  Subtle dark fruits - softly tart figs and plums - dance around behind the malt curtain, adding a pleasant bitterness to the beer.  The finish leaves a lightly roasty toasted bread flavor.  The mouthfeel is thick, a gooey creaminess, with a medium amount of carbonation.

Overall Rating:  This was a hell of a beer!  Sweet, malty, and decadent.  And look out, the 8.5% alcohol is dangerously hidden.  I recommend this beer to any and all beer-drinkers - grab a bottle if you can find it!