Ninkasi Sleigh’r Dark Doüble Alt Ale Review

Sleigh’r Dark Doüble Alt Ale is a dark German-style alt bier that has been transformed into a rich malty brew with enough hops that you know its brewed on the West Coast.

Sleigh’r pours clear, dark copper brown with an off-white, bubbly head of foam that quickly dissipates. The aroma is filled with malt, milk chocolate, and a hint of bread. It is malt forward, made with 2-Row Pale, Crystal, Munich, Carahell, Roasted Barley, and Chocolate malts. Nugget hops balance the malts with bitterness measuring 50 IBU. I pick up notes of chocolate, bitter toffee, a bit of smoke, with no detectable spices.

Ninkasi Brewing Company of Eugene, Oregon calls Sleigh’r a doüble alt ale. What is that, you ask? Ninkasi describes the process it uses to make Sleigh’r: “An alt ferments with ale yeast at colder layering temperatures,” Ninkasi says. “This effect gives alts a more refined and crisp lager-like flavor than traditional ales. The doüble alt means that it has been ‘Ninkasified.’ Regular alts are 5 to 5.5 percent ABV and 40 IBU’s. Sleigh’r has a deep, toasted malt flavor that finishes dry and has 7.2 percent ABV and 50 IBU’s keeping it in a perfect alt balance!”

I’m having a tough time keeping the elves away from this one, they have a thing for malts!

Question: What is your impression of Sleigh’r? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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    While it's difficult to picture Santa as a young man, he was once. He met the future Mrs. Claus one snowy night when she offered him a winter ale that she brewed herself. It was love at first sight - for both the Mrs. and her winter ales. With Santa's growing fame, his favorite brews became named after his favorite day - Christmas. Santa now travels the world each year to spread the joy that began in a stable in Bethlehem two millennia ago.

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