Up to the 1950s, Alt was also called Düssel (from Düsseldorf), but since the term is not a Protected Designation of Origin, Altbier may also be produced outside of the Düsseldorf region. Venlo, a city in the Netherlands on the German border near Düsseldorf, produced the first Dutch Altbier. Similar varieties, also called altbiers, are associated with some other cities in Germany, particularly Hannover. Altbier is also brewed in small quantities in Austria, Switzerland and the United States.
Düsseldorf and Cologne are long-time rivals, though today it mostly comes down to whose beer is better, Düsseldorf's Altbier or Cologne's Kölsch, another top-fermented beer.
Some alt breweries have a tradition of producing a strong ale known as Sticke Alt, coming from a local dialect word meaning "secret". It is generally a seasonal or special occasion brew, and is stronger and sometimes darker than the brewery's standard output. |
