Altbier is the German beer style traditionally associated with Düsseldorf.
It is a copper-colored, top-fermented beer that is conditioned at relatively cool temperatures. This combination gives Altbier some characteristics of both ale and lager: it uses ale yeast but is typically clean, crisp, and smooth. Düsseldorf breweries commonly serve it in small cylindrical glasses.
The name comes from the German word alt, meaning old, referring to the older top-fermentation method rather than the beer’s age. Altbier developed in the Lower Rhine region and remains particularly connected with Düsseldorf’s brewery culture.
Altbier is often confused with Kölsch because both are pale-to-amber German top-fermented beers served in small glasses. Kölsch belongs to Cologne, while Altbier is associated with Düsseldorf. The rivalry between the two cities reinforces that distinction.