Adambier, also known as Dortmunder Adambier or Dortmunder Altbier, is a style of beer once brewed in the city of Dortmund in Germany.
Unlike modern Dortmunder beers, Adambier was a strong (about 10% abv), dark, sour beer, which was top-fermented and then aged in wood for long periods; it was always aged for at least a year, and often many years longer. Unlike sour Belgian beers, Adambier had very high hopping rates.
Some sources report that Adambier was brewed with significant amounts of wheat, while others report only strongly-flavored German malts. Modern homebrewed and commercial examples tend not to be brewed with wheat.
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History of Adambier
Adambier was the indigenous beer style of Dortmund until it was eliminated by the changing tastes of German beer drinkers. The style was already losing ground to Munich-style dark lagers, which were faster and cheaper to brew, when the arrival of Pilsner beer, and later modern Dortmunder pale lagers, saw it decline even further. It is no longer brewed commercially in Germany.
Brewing Adambier
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Competition Styles
Neither the BJCP nor the GABF recognize Adambier as a style; homebrewed versions should be entered in competitions as a specialty beer style.
Commercial Examples
The only known modern commercial example of Adambier is "Adam," brewed by Hair of the Dog Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.
External Links
- The history of Dortmund brewing at the European Beer Guide
- Beer Advocate reviews of Hair of the Dog's Adam
- A homebrew Adambier recipe
