69 replies to this topic

[beerturtle]

Anyone have a good simple recipe for an Altbier (all grain)? My German beer loving friend has finally convinced me to try one for the fall...

[ncbeerbrewer]

Here is an ALT that I have brewed for the last couple of years and it has turned out good. You are welcome to give it a try if you like. I would definitely ferment with nothing other than Wyeast 1007 or the White Labs equivalent which I have never used though. As you can see below the Magnum was used just to better boost the bitterness as I didn't wanna use a half pound of just Spalts to get there. Cheers!!Dusseldorf Altbier Type: All Grain Batch Size: 5.25 galBoil Size: 7.11 gal Boil Time: 60 min Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU 7.00 lb Pilsen Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.0 SRM) Grain 67.44 % 2.75 lb Munich I (Weyermann) (7.1 SRM) Grain 26.49 % 0.50 lb Caramel Malt - 80L 6-Row (Briess) (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.82 % 0.13 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 1.25 % 0.50 oz Magnum [12.10 %] (60 min) Hops 20.2 IBU 1.50 oz Spalter [4.10 %] (60 min) Hops 20.5 IBU 1.25 oz Spalter [4.10 %] (10 min) Hops 6.2 IBU 1 Pkgs German Ale (Wyeast Labs #1007) Yeast-Ale Beer Profile Est Original Gravity: 1.055 SGMeasured Original Gravity: 1.052 SG Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.42 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.47 % Bitterness: 46.9 IBU Calories: 229 cal/pint Est Color: 13.6 SRM Color: Color

[MtnBrewer]

https://www.math.fsu...ak_Alt_III.html

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Anyone have a good simple recipe for an Altbier (all grain)? My German beer loving friend has finally convinced me to try one for the fall...

I'm really itching to brew a proper alt. I just hate to buy another yeast b/c I have a hard time using the ones I have as it is!

[MtnBrewer]

I'm really itching to brew a proper alt. I just hate to buy another yeast b/c I have a hard time using the ones I have as it is!

Surely you use 1056/WLP001/US-05 right? Everybody does. It makes a fine altbier.

[MyaCullen]

Surely you use 1056/WLP001/US-05 right? Everybody does. It makes a fine altbier.

the dry 05 (IMO) especially for an Alt, it seems to even share the Alt Yeasts powdery difficult floccing rate

[MtnBrewer]

the dry 05 (IMO) especially for an Alt, it seems to even share the Alt Yeasts powdery difficult floccing rate

I'm convinced the Chico yeast in all its various incarnations was originally an altbier yeast.

[MyaCullen]

I'm convinced the Chico yeast in all its various incarnations was originally an altbier yeast.

I tend to agree, due to it's fermentation characteristic, but I have read somewhere that Ken got his original yeast from the dying Ballantine Brewery personally, and it was Nottingham originally. But dang if it doesn't behave like WLP036 or WY 1107

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

the dry 05 (IMO) especially for an Alt, it seems to even share the Alt Yeasts powdery difficult floccing rate

interesting! I may have to try this out. It would make a nice spur of the moment beer.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

question - are any noble hops acceptable? pretty much all I've got is hallertau.

[ncbeerbrewer]

question - are any noble hops acceptable? pretty much all I've got is hallertau.

Yes they are acceptable. Hallertau would be fine as well I believe. Here is the BJCP description for the two ALT styles Northern and Dussy. ALT Style

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

https://www.math.fsu...ak_Alt_III.html

I see you are mashing low (sweet charrriot), why are you also adding carafoam (same as carapils, right?)? It seems like these two things work against each other somewhat. It seems like alts should be pretty dry.

[MtnBrewer]

I see you are mashing low (sweet charrriot), why are you also adding carafoam (same as carapils, right?)? It seems like these two things work against each other somewhat. It seems like alts should be pretty dry.

I don't completely disagree and that sounds just like something I might say. First of all, alts definitely should be dry but malty. My experience with carafoam is that it doesn't add sweetness but does add body. If you mash low, the beer can be too thin. The normal way to combat that is to do a protein rest at the upper end of the range: 131°F or so. This favors the long-chain proteins and adds body, mouthfeel and head retention. The lazy man's way to do the same thing is to use a little bit of Carafoam. On the question of hops, yes noble hops are called for. Spalt is the prototypical altbier hop but other nobles work well too. I've even had good results with American derivatives such as Santiam and Sterling.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I don't completely disagree and that sounds just like something I might say. First of all, alts definitely should be dry but malty. My experience with carafoam is that it doesn't add sweetness but does add body. If you mash low, the beer can be too thin. The normal way to combat that is to do a protein rest at the upper end of the range: 131°F or so. This favors the long-chain proteins and adds body, mouthfeel and head retention. The lazy man's way to do the same thing is to use a little bit of Carafoam. On the question of hops, yes noble hops are called for. Spalt is the prototypical altbier hop but other nobles work well too. I've even had good results with American derivatives such as Santiam and Sterling.

Makes sense to me. All I knew is that carafoam added body so I thought sweetest might come with it. I'm thinking of basing a recipe on what you have there as it seems pretty close to what I would go for. For hop candidates in stock I've got hallertau, mt. hood (almost noble!), and czech saaz (maybe not a good option but I wasn't sure).

[MtnBrewer]

I think any of those hops would be fine. There seems to be three general styles for altbiers. Dussy, N. German and Uerige (which is a subset of the Dussy style). N. German ones tend to be all malt. Dusseldorf alts tend to be malty and dry but also somewhat bitter. Uerige is very bitter and also has some hop aroma. That's the type I tend to go for and so that's what that recipe is. 40ish IBUs is on the bitter side and then a FWH with Tettnanger gives it a spicy hop aroma. So if you want to head in that direction, I'd FWH with the Saaz and use Hallertauer and/or Mt. Hood for bittering.

[djinkc]

I'll throw in a vote for a little Melanoidin or Aromatic. I almost always have some in mine.Although we put a Sticke on tap last night that had neither, but it did have a 2+ hour boil.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I'll throw in a vote for a little Melanoidin or Aromatic. I almost always have some in mine. Although we put a Sticke on tap last night that had neither, but it did have a 2+ hour boil.

I put a 1/4lb of aromatic in my O'fest this year. I haven't really tried it yet but I think it's going to be a nice batch. I could see it working in an alt as well. ETA: I think if I were to alter (ha!) Mtn's recipe I might replace half of the caramunich with aromatic (if I were to use aromatic anyway).

[MtnBrewer]

Yeah, nothing wrong with that. I'm always a bit leery of using crystal in an altbier anyway.

[beerturtle]

Here is an ALT that I have brewed for the last couple of years and it has turned out good. You are welcome to give it a try if you like. I would definitely ferment with nothing other than Wyeast 1007 or the White Labs equivalent which I have never used though. As you can see below the Magnum was used just to better boost the bitterness as I didn't wanna use a half pound of just Spalts to get there. Cheers!! Dusseldorf Altbier Type: All Grain Batch Size: 5.25 gal Boil Size: 7.11 gal Boil Time: 60 min Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU 7.00 lb Pilsen Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.0 SRM) Grain 67.44 % 2.75 lb Munich I (Weyermann) (7.1 SRM) Grain 26.49 % 0.50 lb Caramel Malt - 80L 6-Row (Briess) (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.82 % 0.13 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 1.25 % 0.50 oz Magnum [12.10 %] (60 min) Hops 20.2 IBU 1.50 oz Spalter [4.10 %] (60 min) Hops 20.5 IBU 1.25 oz Spalter [4.10 %] (10 min) Hops 6.2 IBU 1 Pkgs German Ale (Wyeast Labs #1007) Yeast-Ale Beer Profile Est Original Gravity: 1.055 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.052 SG Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.42 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.47 % Bitterness: 46.9 IBU Calories: 229 cal/pint Est Color: 13.6 SRM Color: Color

I'm gonna try this one (along with a saison) this weekend. THanks for the recioe. Mtn, I will definitely try yours as well. I will let y'all know how it turns out for me. Cheers!

[djinkc]

Here's my latest that's on tap, but another is just barely into lagering. It got some compliments from some brewers I respect at our club Octoberfest last weekend. Sipping one now.14.5 gal preboil12.5 gal post boil in the kettle (still trying to figure out pellet hops with a first time CFC use, I could have backed off a bit on volume.....)12# Canadian Pils8# Gr. Munich ~10L9 oz Carafa III1# Aromatic149df mash, probably around 83% efficiency90 min boil1 oz Spalt 4.1% 601.5 oz Magnum 12.5% 602 oz Spalt 302 oz Spalt 101.055 OG, 52 IBUs, 1007 slurryI'd give it a solid B, maybe score in the high 30's or touch the 40s for a D. Alt. Usually I would use Melanoidin instead of Aromatic but drewseslu gave me a LOT of it - so Aromatic it was. I really like the Carafa II, preferably III for Alts. I hardly ever use Crystal but have with nice results using just a touch of it. I'll vary the Carafa from 1+# to 1/2# depending.... The Pils/Munich ratio has been pretty consistent lately but I'll probably have to play with that a bit too. Once in a great while I'll throw in a touch of malted wheat too.And of course the one fermenting now got a nice slug of malted rye just because I can.......... Can't wait for it.I'm sure I have made a few with 1056/ US-05 but would have to look in my notes. I think the 1007 does make a subtle difference that I like. Plus you can harvest and brew a variety of other beers with it too. It's a cool yeast.