About Us
History
Altes beer is a Detroit original. Born at the Tivoli Brewery at the corner of Mack and Hurlbut on Detroit’s East Side, Altes was known as “the beer that bewitches” in 1910. European trained brew masters modeled the brand after the crisp refreshing lagers of their homeland, made for the hardworking Detroit boom town. Altes was the beer of choice for many hardworking Detroiters by the time Prohibition hit in 1919, and according to legend it was still brewed during the dry years and sold at speakeasies across town. It was an immediate regional favorite after the beer ban was lifted in 1933. Altes grew with Detroit, becoming the brisk beer with sealed in flavor by the 1940s. Favored by sportsmen and factory workers alike, the brewery sold over half a million barrels in 1947. By the 60’s Altes was a key Detroit brand, sponsoring the Detroit Lions and the Detroit Tigers, and launching Fassbier – with an always fresh draft beer taste.
Altes Reborn
Locally craft brewed and owned, Altes is Back! In 2016, three local beer lovers, Eric, Carl, and Pat, launched an effort to restore the beer to its original glory. They wanted to emulate the original refreshing European style Altes lager that Detroiters loved. So they turned to their friends at Traffic Jam & Snug, the original Detroit brewpub, to perfect an approach to creating a full bodied but perfectly balanced German Helles lager. The resulting recipe cuts no corners. We use 100% barley malt and 100% German imported hops to create a supremely drinkable local Detroit style lager that honors the city's beer heritage.
Today
After years of work to refine the recipe, assess consumer interests, and adjust to a challenging market place, Altes launched in southeast Michigan in April 2019. Altes Original Detroit Lager is here. Look for Altes Original Detroit Lager at your favorite place to buy beer. Altes Beer, ask for it by name.