Olde Mecklenburg Copper
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with toasted bread crust and a mild earthiness from German noble hops, with a faint nuttiness underneath. On the palate, it's firmly malt-forward — biscuit and light caramel — balanced by a clean, moderately assertive bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check. The body is medium and smooth, with a dry, slightly mineral finish that's characteristic of well-made German-style ales. There's a tidiness to it that reflects cold-conditioning; nothing is out of place.
About the Brewery
Olde Mecklenburg is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has been one of the Southeast's more committed practitioners of traditional German brewing methods since opening in 2009. They built their reputation largely on lagers and German-style ales — including this altbier — at a time when most American craft breweries were chasing IPAs. Their Charlotte taproom and beer garden lean into the German biergarten aesthetic, and they've maintained a relatively focused, style-disciplined lineup compared to peers.
Food Pairings
A bratwurst or grilled pork sausage works well because the malt backbone echoes the meat's savory richness without competing with it. Roasted chicken is a natural match, as the beer's nuttiness complements caramelized skin and herbs. Sharp cheddar or Gruyère pairs effectively because the beer's dry bitterness cuts through the fat in aged cheese. A simple mushroom dish — roasted or sautéed — plays off the earthy, toasty malt character in a way that feels intuitive rather than forced.
Style Guide
Altbier is a top-fermented, cold-conditioned ale from Düsseldorf, Germany, where it's considered a point of regional pride. The style is defined by its balance of toasted malt character and firm but not aggressive hop bitterness, with a clean, dry finish that results from cold lagering after fermentation. It sits in a middle ground between a lager and a British bitter — more malt complexity than a pilsner, less fruity ester presence than most ales. The name simply means "old beer," referencing the traditional top-fermentation method that predates the lager revolution in Germany.