Feedback on an AltBier Recipe

I just posted this Altbier Recipe on the recipe board.

Any of you Altbier experts...I would appreciate your feedback.

30 IBU's sounds a little low

jager said:

30 IBU's sounds a little low

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Yeah, 35-40 is normal for a Dusseldorf Alt. I have enough Hallertau I may up it, but this is going onto a tap for a pretty wide audience so I need to be careful the hop-shock.

Awe...heck with it. It's either a Dusseldorf Alt, or it's not...

Send me a bottle and I'll be glad to give you feeback.

jager said:

30 IBU's sounds a little low

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Keep in mind that this is an IBU estimate and it can be just right. I aim for 27 IBU for my Alt and think it comes out just right, but I like my beers at the lower end of bitterness for the style.

BierMuncher, the only thing that I don't see fit in the style of an Alt are the late hop additions and the Chocolate malt. Roastininess is not typical for German beers (including Alt) and hop aroma/flavor is not typical for an Alt either.

But if you like it, go for it. I'm just trying to give feedback based on style.

Kai

Thanks Kai. Maybe I'll dump that and sub with some Crystal 120?

You can add about 1.5-2 oz of some dehusked carafa to add color.

seyahmit said:

You can add about 1.5-2 oz of some dehusked carafa to add color.

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That's what I do (about 1% of the grist) and it gives it just a touch of roast in the nose and taste, which I think gives it juts another dimension whitout actually defining the taste of the beer.

Kai

I wouldnt have any aroma and very little (or no) flavor hops. Alts should be extremely malty while being pretty bitter as well. Shoot for 30-40 IBUs with Spalter. I think that more Munich would better in place of other malt.

Also, Alt yeast is a lagering ale yeast, so ferment at at least 55 degrees F if you have the means to. Also lager it for a couple of weeks. Itll be much cleaner.

I LOVE alts. I find that 80-90% Munich and pale malt makes for a DELICIOUS brew. mmmmmmm. Meine Lieblingsbier und also meine Haus Bier.

banjopicker16 said:

Iso ferment at at least 55 degrees F if you have the means to.

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I don't think that the Alt yeast will ferment that low. I already had problems getting it to fully attenuate the beer when fermenting at slightly above 60 F.

I also don't think that they should have the stong maltiness as you would find in the Bavarian Bocks. Though a lot of dark base malts are used, they are fairly well attenuated and easy drinking dry beers.

Kai

Well the finished product turned out great.

I need to PM TxBrew and see if I can get into my recipe and edit the minor changes I had (the post has been closed).

I ended up going with .50 lbs of honey (that's all I had )
I went with a 1/4 lb of Crystal 120 VS 1/2 lb of Crystal 60.

I ended up pitching a huge German Kolsch starter I had from a previous batch.

The taste is nice. Slightly roasty but mellow. The head is a medium beige and very frothy. Nice slight bitterness that will mellow with age (assuming I don't drink it too fast..)
If I had to compare, I'd say it's like a crisp pilsner with a little bit of a roasty bite.

Once I get access to my recipe, I'll update the comments there. In the meantime...

Kaiser said:

I don't think that the Alt yeast will ferment that low. I already had problems getting it to fully attenuate the beer when fermenting at slightly above 60 F.

I also don't think that they should have the stong maltiness as you would find in the Bavarian Bocks. Though a lot of dark base malts are used, they are fairly well attenuated and easy drinking dry beers.

Kai

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A friend of mine has had this exact same problem, doing an alt also, he had a heating issue and couldnt get it above 61*, which left the final gravity a bit high.