RecipeDB - Altbier interpretation

[manticle]

Altbier interpretation

Ale - Düsseldorf Altbier
All Grain

Brewer's Notes

Mash temp: 65 degrees, 60 minute mash ,60 minute boil (in terms of hops but I always boil vigorously for 15 minutes before making the first hop addition so 75 all up). Conditioning period includes at least 7 days cold conditioning around 2 deg C.

Brew was no chilled and fined with gelatin a day or so after cold crashing. One of the best AG brews I've made so far.

NB: Vienna malt is Dingeman's Biscuit (not available from menu). At a pinch I reckon Vienna would be an OK substitute.

Malt & Fermentables

%	KG	Fermentable
	3.5 kg	JWM Export Pilsner
	1 kg	JWM Light Munich
	0.5 kg	JWM Wheat Malt
	0.25 kg	Weyermann Vienna
	0.1 kg	JWM Chocolate Malt

Hops

Time	Grams	Variety	Form	AA
	45 g	Hallertauer (Pellet, 4.8AA%, 60mins)
	40 g	Tettnang (Pellet, 4.5AA%, 20mins)
	20 g	Tettnang (Pellet, 4.5AA%, 0mins)

Yeast

1000 ml

Wyeast Labs 1007 - German Ale

Misc

0.5 tablet

Whirfloc

22L Batch Size

Brew Details

• Original Gravity 1.053 (calc)
• Final Gravity 1.013 (calc)
• Bitterness 37 IBU
• Efficiency 70%
• Alcohol 5.2%
• Colour 24 EBC
• Batch Size 22L

Fermentation

• Primary 7 days
• Secondary 7 days
• Conditioning 4 days

 

[hockadays]

I would ditch the choc malt. Add Carafa I or II for a colour addition. The rest looks ok. I'm just reading the Alt Book at the moment and you can really have a mix of munich vienna and pils and wheat in any combo. Eg 100% Munich or 70%vienna 20%Munich and 10% pils which is what I'm trying next. Plenty of room for experimenting except the yeast it has to be 1007 or equivilent. Let us know how it goes. Ihad some Alt bier at the german club the other night and it was very good but quite tame.

hockadays

 

[yardy]

I would ditch the choc malt. Add Carafa I or II for a colour addition.

I agree, i would consider dropping the flame out addition also, i bet it's a nice beer regardless though.

cheers

 

[drsmurto]

I agree too.

No need for anything other than a bittering hop addition.

And more munich, 50% minimum.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I agree too.

No need for anything other than a bittering hop addition.

And more munich, 50% minimum.

Lot's of good advice Manticle. I make a similiar ale as a stock beer, but have munich as the dominant malt (swap the volume of pils with munich) and carafa special as a colouring agent only. I add a dash of melanoiden occasionally if I mash low. The biscuit sounds a good touch, though unnecessary in my opinion - let the malt speak for itself. I also do a version with 90% vienna malt and 10% caramunich - very malty.

I support the no late hop addition comment as this beer really doesn't have a strong hop profile.

Its a simple style of beer where the malt is the standout flavour. The malt profile is similiar with scottish ales too so this recipe does well with a yeast like Scottish ale (WYE) / Edinburgh Ale (WLP).

Have fun.

 

[manticle]

I called it altbier interpretation because it's probably got the most in common with that than any style that springs to mind. In terms of style I'm not that fussed if it fits or doesn't - it tastes great and balanced to my palate.

That said, the suggestions from experienced brewers are appreciated and I'll certainly have a play around to see what other combinations I can come up with using the suggested tweaking. I'll also have to try spalt rather than tettnang at some point.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I called it altbier interpretation because it's probably got the most in common with that than any style that springs to mind. In terms of style I'm not that fussed if it fits or doesn't - it tastes great and balanced to my palate.

That said, the suggestions from experienced brewers are appreciated and I'll certainly have a play around to see what other combinations I can come up with using the suggested tweaking. I'll also have to try spalt rather than tettnang at some point.

The main thing is to determine what you like. I like malty "german" style alts rather than say a light pils or euro lager. Have used spalt with little noticeable difference (re DrS and the bittering inclusion only). Have used same grain bill with a large dose of POR/Cluster for a strong bitter - an aussie bitter ale. Have seen similiar recipes with heavy C hops (those Americans are mad after all).

Brewings fun .. I just wish we didn't have to wait so long after we make the stuff to drink it!

Last thing, I find these brews need a bit longer to settle down - no 8 days from grain to brain. If I can I cold storage them in a cube for a month before kegging or bottling - I reckon the month wait is worth it (don't know why, don't really care why).

Good brewing M

ps - another batch of "Better Read Than Dead" planned for tomorrow!

 

[manticle]

I have to brew that one again soon. The only time I've followed someone else's recipe to the letter and I was very pleased with the results. Lady loved it too.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Choc malt isnt out of style in a Northern German Altbier, so dont be afraid of using it. Its just not really used in a Dusseldorf version. Some of the alts I tasted in Dusseldorf have a definite hoppiness to them (i.e. Schlussel), so a subtle amount of flavour hopping is certainly an option. Just keep to the noble style hops. Others such as Uerige are bitter and more malty. And they are malty, but not nearly as much as people seem to think. They finish dry and are well attenuated. This beer has to be easy drinking. And the biggest surprise for me were the unique esters. You've got to use an alt yeast otherwise you'll have a great beer, but not quite there.

 

[Brewster]

I would like to do this brew but im now worries with the comment on what malts to use and how much. Can someone please help me out that has knowlegde to do me a all grain recipe for dusseldorf altbier to suit 22 to 25 litres.

I had a recipe given to me by a guy named brad who used to work at grumpys brewhaus but I have losted it. All I remember is that it had pilsner, munich, cara pils, carafa malts in it.

Kind regards
chris

 

[manticle]

Did end up making this again with carafa special. Was definitely a nice beer - came out a lot darker and the earlier version seemed to carry the bitterness a lot better

 

[Screwtop]

Did end up making this again with carafa special. Was definitely a nice beer - came out a lot darker and the earlier version seemed to carry the bitterness a lot better

I make an Altbier that's not "To Style" also. It goes down a treat here if I call it Old Gympie Gold :lol: wasn't getting any takers when I called it an Altbier !!

I add Caraffa II finely ground for only the last 10 min of the mash, provides good colour without so much Carafa flavour, used Magnum for bittering last batch and don't like it (just a personal aversion to Magnum), but locals love it.

Screwy

 

[manticle]

Fiddled a bit more - this one is drinking very nicely at the moment.

I ran out of pilsner malt so used Marris Otter instead which seems to have given it a powerful maltiness. Next one I'd try the pilsner malt since I find 1007 pushes the malt anyway plus with all that vienna and munich plus I did a small decoction for mash out so malt city. take my salt additions with a grain (grain ha grain) of salt (salt ha salt) - still fiddling with undertsanding additions and realise carbonates probably don't belong here at all. I can't taste anything in the beer that suggests it's had a horrible effect but still uneccessary.

Alt 3

Altbier

Type: All grain
Size: 22 liters
Color: 18 HCU (~11 SRM)
Bitterness: 40 IBU
OG: 1.057
FG: 1.010
Alcohol: 6.1% v/v (4.8% w/w)
Grain: 1kg Simpsons MO (pilsner preferred)
2kg Wey Vienna
2kg Wey Munich
250g Dingemans biscuit
30g Carafa spec I
500g JW Wheat malt
Mash: 70% efficiency, 65 degrees C
Boil: 60 minutes
SG 1.039
32 liters
Hops: 40g Tettnanger (4.5% AA, 60 min.)
20g Hallertauer Hersbrucker (3.5% AA, 60 min.)
20g Tettnanger (4.5% AA, 20 min.)
20g Hallertauer Hersbrucker (3.5% AA, 20 min.)
20g Tettnanger (aroma)

Salt additions:
Mash -
2 g CaSO4
1g CaCl2
2g CaCO3

Boil
1g CaCl2
2gCaSO4

WY 1007


Again probably not to style (can't help myself with late additions of tett as I love the hop) but delicious - rich creamy head, clear in the glass, citrus undertone from the tettnanger. Drinking well quite young.

Fermented low (probably around 15-16) racked, CCed and fined like most of my brews. Straw/amber colour, lighter than the other two versions. Malty but dry at the finish.