07B1. Altbier - Beer Recipe - Brewer's Friend

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07B1. Altbier

166 calories 19 g 12 oz
Beer Stats
Method: All Grain
Style: Altbier
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Post Boil Size: 6 gallons
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.035 (recipe based estimate)
Post Boil Gravity: 1.043 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)
Source: WAWooldridge
Calories: 166 calories (Per 12oz)
Carbs: 19 g (Per 12oz)
Created: Friday August 11th 2017
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Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
6 lb German - Pilsner6 lb Pilsner 38 1.6 60.8%
3 lb German - Munich Dark3 lb Munich Dark 37 15.5 30.4%
0.25 lb Belgian - Aromatic0.25 lb Aromatic 33 38 2.5%
0.50 lb German - CaraMunich II0.5 lb CaraMunich II - (late boil kettle addition) 34 46 5.1%
2 oz German - Carafa II2 oz Carafa II - (late boil kettle addition) 32 425 1.3%
9.87 lbs / 0.00
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
0.50 oz Magnum0.5 oz Magnum Hops Pellet 15 Boil 60 min 29.73 28.6%
0.75 oz Tettnanger0.75 oz Tettnanger Hops Pellet 4.5 Boil 30 min 10.28 42.9%
0.50 oz Tettnanger0.5 oz Tettnanger Hops Pellet 4.5 Boil 15 min 4.43 28.6%
1.75 oz / 0.00
 
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Cost Type Use Time
1 tsp Irish Moss Fining Boil 15 min.
9.75 g Chalk Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
3.75 g Gypsum Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
2.75 g Table Salt Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
3 g Magnesium Chloride Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
43.22 ml Phosphoric acid Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
6.58 g Phosphoric acid Water Agt Sparge 1 hr.
 
Yeast
Wyeast - German Ale 1007
Amount:
1 Each
Cost:
Attenuation (custom):
75%
Flocculation:
Low
Optimum Temp:
55 - 68 °F
Starter:
Yes
Fermentation Temp:
60 °F
Pitch Rate:
1.75 (M cells / ml / ° P) 451 B cells required
0.00 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
Priming
CO2 Level: 2.5 Volumes
 
Target Water Profile
Düsseldorf (Altbier)
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
90 12 45 82 65 223
Pilsner malt:
Protein rest (122-131F 15 min).

CaraMunich:
Add after mash-out, during vorlauf.

Carafa:
Add after mash-out, during vorlauf.
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
 
Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Start Temp Target Temp Time
5.56 gal Strike Water (Pilsner, Dark Munich, Aromatic) Temperature -- 137 °F --
Protein Rest Infusion -- 131 °F 15 min
Alpha-Amylase Rest Temperature -- 145 °F 35 min
Beta-Amylase Rest Temperature -- 158 °F 40 min
Mash-Out Temperature -- 170 °F 20 min
4.08 gal Batch Sparge Sparge -- 170 °F 15 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 2.25 qt/lb
Quick Water Requirements
Water Gallons  Quarts
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 2.25 qt/lb 5.55 22.2  
Mash volume with grains 6.34 25.4  
Grain absorption losses -1.23 -4.9  
Remaining sparge water volume (equipment estimates 3 g | 12 qt) 3.43 13.7  
Mash Lauter Tun losses -0.25 -1  
Pre boil volume (equipment estimates 7.07 g | 28.3 qt) 7.5 30  
Boil off losses -1.5 -6  
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma) -0.07 -0.3  
Post boil Volume (equipment estimates 5.5 g | 22 qt) 6 24  
WARNING: Exceeded batch size - reduce boil size    
Going into fermentor (equipment estimates 6 g | 24 qt) 5.5 22  
Total: 8.98 35.9
Equipment Profile Used: System Default
 
Notes

Overall Impression:
A well-balanced, well-attenuated, bitter yet malty, clean, and smooth, amber- to copper-colored German beer. The bitterness is balanced by the malt richness, but the malt intensity and character can range from moderate to high (the bitterness increases with the malt richness).

Aroma:
Clean yet robust and complex aroma of grainy-rich malt and spicy hops with restrained (low to medium-low) fruity esters. The malt character reflects German base malt varieties, with rich baked bread and nutty-toasty bread crust notes. The hop aroma may vary from moderate to low, and can have a peppery, spicy, floral, herbal or perfumy character associated with Saazer-type hops.

Appearance:
The color ranges from light amber to deep copper color, stopping short of brown; bronze-orange is most common. Brilliant clarity. Thick, creamy, long-lasting off-white head.

Flavor:
Assertive hop bitterness well balanced by a sturdy yet clean and crisp malt character. The malt presence is moderated by medium-high to high attenuation, but considerable rich, complex, and somewhat grainy malt flavors can remain. Some fruity esters (especially cherry-like) may survive the lagering period. A long-lasting, medium-dry to dry, bittersweet or nutty finish reflects both the hop bitterness and malt complexity. Spicy, peppery or floral hop flavor can be moderate to low. No roasted malt flavors or harshness. The apparent bitterness level is sometimes masked by the malt character; the bitterness can seem as low as moderate if the finish is not very dry. Light sulfury or minerally character optional.

Mouthfeel:
Medium-bodied. Smooth. Medium to medium-high carbonation, although can be lower when served from the cask. Astringency low to none. Despite being very full of flavor, is light-bodied enough to be consumed as a gravity-fed session beer in its home brewpubs in Düsseldorf.

Comments:
A top-fermented lagered beer, fermented at cool ale temperature (59–68 °F), often conditioned at bottom-fermentation temperatures (about 50 °F) and then lagered at cold temperatures to produce a cleaner, smoother palate than is typical for most ales. Zum Uerige is a wonderful beer, but much more aggressively bitter and complex than most other German examples. It may be like the Fuller’s ESB of the strong bitter category – well-known but somewhat of a stylistic outlier. Do not judge all Altbiers as if they were Zum Uerige clones; allow for a more balanced bitterness in the beer (25–35 IBUs is more typical for most other German examples). Stronger sticke and doppelsticke beers should not be entered here.

History:
The traditional style of beer from Düsseldorf. “Alt” refers to the “old” style of brewing (i.e., using top-fermenting yeast) that was common before bottom-fermenting lager brewing became popular. Predates the isolation of bottom-fermenting yeast strains, though it approximates many characteristics of bottom-fermenting lager beers. Many of the classic examples can be found in brewpubs in the Altstadt (“old town”) section of Düsseldorf.

Characteristic Ingredients:
Grists vary, but usually consist of German base malts (usually Pils, sometimes Munich) with small amounts of crystal, chocolate, and/or black malts used to adjust color. Occasionally will include some wheat, including roasted wheat. Spalt hops are traditional, but other Saazer-type hops can also be used. Clean, highly attenuative ale yeast. A step mash or decoction mash program is traditional.

Style Comparison:
More bitter and malty than international amber lagers. Somewhat like California Common, both in production technique and finished flavor and color, though not in ingredients.

Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044 – 1.052
FG: 1.008 – 1.014
ABV: 4.3 – 5.5%
IBUs: 25 – 50
SRM: 11 – 17

Commercial Examples:
Bolten Alt, Diebels Alt, Füchschen Alt, Original Schlüssel Alt, Schlösser Alt, Schumacher Alt, Uerige Altbier

Tags:
standard-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, lagered, central-Europe, traditional-style, amber-ale-family, bitter

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  • Last Updated: 2019-10-29 18:32 UTC