Rising Tide Ishmael

Hey everyone! I don't know about you guys, but I am relieved it is finally Thursday night! One more day of work this week, and then the weekend is here! I was able to get 3 runs in this week, and after a 1.5 mile run today, I rewarded myself with a beer!

Tonight's beer is Ishmael from Rising Tide Brewing Company. I picked this bottle up while on vacation in Maine, at House Wine in Bar Harbor. Rising Tide is a 2 year old brewery located in Portland, Maine, and as of right now you can only find their beers in Maine or Massachusetts. I'm very excited to get to try this!

From the back of the bottle, Ishmael is an "American interpretation of the altbiers of Dusseldorf." I wasn't too familiar with what to expect from the altbier style, so I consulted Michael Jackson's Beer Companion. According to Jackson, the altbier reigned in German cities, usually in the north and west, that hadn't been converted to the bottom-fermented lagers. Altbiers generally have a normal ale fermentation, followed by "cold conditioning at 32-46 F from 3-8 weeks."

My bottle of Ishmael was "born" in July 2012. It pours a hazy copper color with a finger width head. Not much lacing as I drink this one. Ishmael smells like sweet malt, fruit and only the lightest bit of hops comes through. The taste follows the nose. In the front it tasted like a blend of fruit and bready malts, followed by a light, lasting bitterness in the aftertaste. Ishmael is a medium bodied beer, and displays an incredible balance of hops and malt.

Overall: A great beer I'm glad I got to try. I probably wouldn't seek it out again, just because of how many other beers that are out there to try. If it was on tap somewhere, I would definitely include it in a session!

Have you tried Ishmael? What did you think? Do you have a favorite altbier? Any suggestions for an altbier to try?

Thanks for reading!

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