Hops

No hops grow in Düsseldorf, and yet you taste them more strongly in Alt than in almost any other beer in the region. They come from Germany's hop-growing areas, which in 2025 covered around 18,962 hectares, the largest being the Hallertau in Bavaria. Which varieties each brewery uses is mostly kept under wraps.

Typical are traditional German aroma varieties, which smell less of fruit and more of herbs, hay and blossoms. Hops contribute two things: bitterness from the alpha acids released early in the boil, and aroma from essential oils added later. In Alt, bitterness takes center stage.

It's measured in IBU, a unit for the bitter compounds in beer. The style guidelines put Altbier at 25 to 50 IBU, while a Pils often sits around 22 to 40. That sounds similar, but in Alt the bitterness meets robust malt and comes across rounder, almost like dark bread with a crusty, bitter edge.

The most heavily hopped are the specialty beers. For Sticke, poured at Uerige, reference literature cites values up to roughly 60 IBU, considerably more than standard Alt. Uerige has long been regarded in the city as the bitterest house, a reputation that traces back to Wilhelm Cürten. Anyone trying Alt for the first time should give it a moment: the bitterness feels sharp at first, but by the second sip the palate adjusts, and then the bread-crust and nutty notes from the malt come through.