Altbier From A Kit?

[wildschwein]

Greetings all,
Just wanted to see if anyone on the forum has a cheats recipe for an Altbier using a kit, extra hops and other fermentables, like malt extracts as well as specialty grains. I've done a search for the type but it mainly looks like a beer type made by All Grainers. I'm not looking for an exact match just something like it. Any ideas would be great.

 

[bconnery]

I would take a german lager kit of some sort. There probably isnt' a good like for like but given that it is an ale that is lagered I would think that's the best start.

You could then easily use some specialty grains, even using similar or the same levels to the recipes found here, and then hop in a similar manner. Good noble hops are the key, Spalt are a favourite.

Yeast, german ale liquid or Nottingham dry.

Ferment at 16-17C or so, then lager for a week or more if you can.

That's about what I did for my mini-mash version and it's turned out very nice.

If you read any threads and basically substitute the kit for base malts, but follow as much of the other technique as you can I think you will produce something close enough.

 

[blackbock]

It's going to be tricky to achieve with a kit, there are subtle flavours in alts. Probably the best you can hope for is to augment a pale lager kit with just enough of something to make for a bronze colour. Maybe a small amount of caramunich would do, ferment with Safale K97 or something neutral.

 

[Weizguy]

I'd suggest that you step up to extract brewing if you can get hold of a 5 litre jerry can of Weyermann Munich Amber malt extract. It's made from Munich I malt, which is just what you'd need. Use around 3 kg of the extract in a 22 litre batch.

Add about 25-30 IBU of bitterness from noble German hops (say, Spalt) and about 20-30 g of Spalt at the end of the boil, and you have a real nice Alt.

You can do the boil with 1 kg of the malt extract in about 7-10 litres of water with the boiling hops, and add the remaining extract with 5 min left in the boil. Take the pot off the heat when U dissolve the malt, than bring back to the boil for the last 5 min.

You will be very happy with it, as it's as genuine as you can get, and as close as you'll get to a kit Alt IMHO.

Beerz
Seth

Oh, BTW, I think that Maltcraft is the Aussie distributor of Weyermann stuff.

 

[wildschwein]

Cheers for the very detailed and informed replies. I'm going to go away and mull over it for a while and will return with a recipe of some type. Maybe it is time to steep up to extract brewing. Hmmmh!!!

 

[petesbrew]

Cheers for the very detailed and informed replies. I'm going to go away and mull over it for a while and will return with a recipe of some type. Maybe it is time to steep up to extract brewing. Hmmmh!!!

How are you going with your Altbier recipe, Wildschwein?

 

[wildschwein]

Ah I never made one. But I'm considering sending a request to one of our local manufacturers (like Morgans maybe) for a kit. I kind of figured that I wouldn't get very close to true Alt with a kit and kilo recipe. The best recipe I saw while I was researching it recommended a German Lager kit with 1.5kg of amber malt extract to replace the Munich malt which is a characteristic part of any Altbier. I guess a kit and partial mash would work pretty well though.

 

[blackbock]

Ah I never made one. But I'm considering sending a request to one of our local manufacturers (like Morgans maybe) for a kit.

Your best bet might be a smaller manufacturer like ESB, or maybe you could beg and plead Gerard to consider it. Although being in WA there are probably closer options for you.

I wouldn't bother with Morgans - they recently put out a "Brew Cellar News" pamphlet in which their resident "Brew Guru" advises it's OK to use ale yeasts above 30 degrees, but at 35 degrees lager yeasts will die." I think I would die first drinking a lager made at 35! So I don't really think they are serious about giving good advice, let alone true-to-style kits.

 

[wildschwein]

Your best bet might be a smaller manufacturer like ESB, or maybe you could beg and plead Gerard to consider it. Although being in WA there are probably closer options for you.

I wouldn't bother with Morgans - they recently put out a "Brew Cellar News" pamphlet in which their resident "Brew Guru" advises it's OK to use ale yeasts above 30 degrees, but at 35 degrees lager yeasts will die." I think I would die first drinking a lager made at 35! So I don't really think they are serious about giving good advice, let alone true-to-style kits.

Yeah, most manufacturers are only interested in the lowest common denominator - so they give advice to make beer as fast and easily as possible because they believe that the majority of their customers are stupid and/or impatient. They're are also under pressure to make competitive products. It's interesting that Morgans, who don't have their products in the big chain supermarkets, and sell mainly in HB shops would advocate such silly practices with their own gear.

 

[RobboMC]

Ah I never made one. But I'm considering sending a request to one of our local manufacturers (like Morgans maybe) for a kit. I kind of figured that I wouldn't get very close to true Alt with a kit and kilo recipe. The best recipe I saw while I was researching it recommended a German Lager kit with 1.5kg of amber malt extract to replace the Munich malt which is a characteristic part of any Altbier. I guess a kit and partial mash would work pretty well though.

I use the Morgans Master Blend extracts, and I find they make great dark beer. One of my frustrations is that the varieties with Munich malt in them are limited to a) 15% chocolate in Munich or b)12% Black in Munich.
And the other good one is 60% Dark Crystal and 40% Vienna. All of these are great for making darker beers, but not much good for lighter colours.

What would be lovely is straight 100% Vienna and 100% Munich varieties so that brewers could mix up the compositions they wish. If anyone has any contacts at Morgans please point this out.

How good would it be to have access to 100% Munich and Vienna extract to make European light lagers!

 

[Weizguy]

I use the Morgans Master Blend extracts, and I find they make great dark beer. One of my frustrations is that the varieties with Munich malt in them are limited to a) 15% chocolate in Munich or b)12% Black in Munich.
And the other good one is 60% Dark Crystal and 40% Vienna. All of these are great for making darker beers, but not much good for lighter colours.

What would be lovely is straight 100% Vienna and 100% Munich varieties so that brewers could mix up the compositions they wish. If anyone has any contacts at Morgans please point this out.

How good would it be to have access to 100% Munich and Vienna extract to make European light lagers!

...as long as it's a decent Munich and Vienna malt being used.

Wouldn't expect a German malt, but I've heard that some Oz Munich/Vienna malt lack a little how-you-say "character"...

Could be really great for all extract brewers, and would prob get an occasional run from the odd busy all-grainer too! Me included.

Beerz
Seth

 

[blackbock]

That is actually a really good idea. If I ever see anyone from Morgans I will suggest it. I wonder why they took the route that they did with the Master Blends, and mixed and matched. As far as I can tell, their "Beer Enhancer" contains glucose and honey. At around $9 a can for 1kg, its pretty expensive stuff for something that they claim adds no additional flavours or colour to your brew.

 

[Gerard_M]

Your best bet might be a smaller manufacturer like ESB, or maybe you could beg and plead Gerard to consider it. Although being in WA there are probably closer options for you.

I have had a been looking at an Alt recipe this week actually, but unfortunately we wouldn't be able to add it to the line up before next Easter.
Cheers
Gerard