Do You Like Altbier?

[Dave70]

Then have a look at this and see what you think.

25L batch

Pale 53%
Pills 30%
Munich 12%
Crystal 40 4.5%

Mash 65 deg.

Hallertau 6.3% - 55g @ 60 - (37 IBU)

Colour - EBC 14.8

Wyeast 1007 @ 16 deg.

Looks fairly balanced to me on paper, just not to sure about the crystal. Maby go to a 60?
What say ye?

 

[drsmurto]

Then have a look at this and see what you think.

25L batch

Pale 53%
Pills 30%
Munich 12%
Crystal 40 4.5%

Mash 65 deg.

Hallertau 6.3% - 55g @ 60 - (37 IBU)

Colour - EBC 14.8

Wyeast 1007 @ 16 deg.

Looks fairly balanced to me on paper, just not to sure about the crystal. Maby go to a 60?
What say ye?

I'm very biased so I'd say ditch the crystal and up the % of munich. But your recipe looks like a northern german alt rather than my preferred dusseldorf alt. The former is less malty and less bitter.

I'd still ditch the crystal.

Spalt and alt are made for each other. Some hallertau or tettnang for flavour are also quite nice but not necessary.

 

[Dave70]

I'm very biased so I'd say ditch the crystal and up the % of munich. But your recipe looks like a northern german alt rather than my preferred dusseldorf alt. The former is less malty and less bitter.

I'd still ditch the crystal.

Spalt and alt are made for each other. Some hallertau or tettnang for flavour are also quite nice but not necessary.

Crystal in alts seems to be the purview of everybody except the Germans anyway. More munich it is.
I'll be passing this one round a bit so wanted to make it tasty without being 'to much' of anything.

cheers

 

[user 384]

I stick to 3 grains for Alt; Munich, Pils and Carafa III (for colour only).

I've used up to 70% Munich with 30% Pils. Other times I used 50:50 Munichils.

This approach will get your Alt close to one from Zum Uerige, which is the most malty and hopped Alt in Dusseldorf (and in my opinion the best).

Most recently I've swung back to using 70% Munich II.

Aim for about 1.050, mashing either 65 or 66.

For hops its Spalt. Single addition at 60mins aiming for a OG:BU ration of 1:1

Wyeast 1007, start fermentation at 16C, finish off at 20C. Keg or bottle then lager for a month.

Malty + lots of Spalt + 1007 = closest to Alts I drank in Dusseldorf.

Cheers
MAH

 

[Wolfy]

Hallertau 6.3% - 55g @ 60 - (37 IBU)

37 IBUs is on the low side of things for a Dusseldorf Alt.

 

[drsmurto]

I stick to 3 grains for Alt; Munich, Pils and Carafa III (for colour only).

I've used up to 70% Munich with 30% Pils. Other times I used 50:50 Munichils.

This approach will get your Alt close to one from Zum Uerige, which is the most malty and hopped Alt in Dusseldorf (and in my opinion the best).

Most recently I've swung back to using 70% Munich II.

Aim for about 1.050, mashing either 65 or 66.

For hops its Spalt. Single addition at 60mins aiming for a OG:BU ration of 1:1

Wyeast 1007, start fermentation at 16C, finish off at 20C. Keg or bottle then lager for a month.

Malty + lots of Spalt + 1007 = closest to Alts I drank in Dusseldorf.

Cheers
MAH

Agree with this.

@Dave70 - The Stammtisch Alt (unashamed plug) ticks the above boxes. If you read the discussion thread you'll see a few comments I've made about increasing the % of munich up to 70%.

I think the current batch i have lagering is 55-60% munich, the rest pils with just enough carafa to add some colour.

Got some munich II on the way to stuff more malt into my Alt (and dunkel)

 

[user 384]

Got some munich II on the way to stuff more malt into my Alt (and dunkel)

Yep Munich II is the way to go. However if you've got Munich I, no need to fret.

Cheers
MAH

 

[eamonnfoley]

Crystal is fine, as long as its caramunich. A couple Dusseldorfs breweries use Caramunich (i.e. Uerige). Schumacher on the other hand is 100% Munich I. Also add some late noble hops. Nearly all the classic Dusseldorf alts have late hops. If you want a mass produced (bland) style alt (i.e. Diebels) then keep the 60 min only and drop down the malt.

Pretty much every alt I had in Dusseldorf had some hop character and a good malt backbone. Only one was super malty, that being the Uerige - which was the exception rather than the rule it appears to be.

 

[raven19]

Must brew another Alt again for the missus.

fwiw - my latest version was one third each Munich 1, Munich 2 and Pils. Spalt Hops all the way.

 

[HeavyNova]

Yes I like Altbier!

I'm really happy with my most recent altbier. Can't remember the recipe off the top of my head but it was pretty much equal amounts of Munich and Pilsner malt with a tiny bit of carafa. I used a single addition at 60 minutes of Spalt hops too.

I would ferment a couple of degrees lower if possible - this yeast has no problems at 13 or 14 degrees. I found the German Ale yeast to stay in suspension for a long time so CC it for a week or more if possible. Then give it some more time in the keg/bottle to lager for best results.

Looks like it's not uncommon to add a few hops late in the boil, I reckon I'll give that a go next time.