Is it Altbeir - Is it Ale - Is it AltAle?

I'm chasing a bready, malty, medium to mid-hi mouth feel, near 6% beer - German inspired.
This is what I came up with while picking the brain of the guy at MLHB shop.

5.25 Gallon batch
60 minute boil
6.6lbs Munich LME
1.0lb Golden Light DME
Wyeast 1007 German Ale
1.0lb Carapils
8oz Liberty Malt - 6 Row Lovibond 25
2oz Willamette @ 55 and 5

Would love to hear thoughts, opinions, ideas. I'm going to try to have it ready in 6 weeks.

Looks pretty tasty to me!

I'm psyched to brew it - even more so to drink it.. I might have a keg system by then so I'm excited - but if I have to bottle it I won't be heartbroken.

We discussed that the ingredients were similar to an Altbeir style - though a lot of that is determined in the process as well.

There's info out there that carapils needs to be mashed:

Jrod said:

From John Palmer "Dextrin Malt 3 L Also known as American Carapils, this malt is used sparingly and contributes little color but enhances the mouthfeel and perceived body of the beer. A common amount for a five gallon batch is 1/2 lb. Dextrin malt has no diastatic power. It must be mashed; if steeped it will contribute a lot of unconverted starch and cause starch haze."

-Cheers

Click to expand...

Wow - there's some info to take note of.. Thanks. Do you think it's a temperature and duration kind of thing? Where a steep is only going to last 20 minutes or so at 152- 155 degrees?

**** Now that I'm reading about it there are certainly a lot of opinions on their use...

This was my first Altbier and it came out pretty good. Nice red color. 1.75 gallon batch bout 16 bottles

Amt Name Type # %/IBU
3 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 87.7 %
5.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.1 %
1.8 oz Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.2 %
1.00 oz Spalter [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 49.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle German Ale (DCL/Fermentis #K-97) [23.66 ml]

brewinchef_fairfax said:

Wow - there's some info to take note of.. Thanks. Do you think it's a temperature and duration kind of thing? Where a steep is only going to last 20 minutes or so at 152- 155 degrees?

**** Now that I'm reading about it there are certainly a lot of opinions on their use...

Click to expand...

It doesnt have enough enzymes to convert its own starch to sugar. So what hes saying is you need to mash it with some 2 row or some thing that will convert the starch. Maybe you could do a mini mash with some munich to keep it to your style

Ok - I've read a lot of reasons from both sides of the fence.

The grain I have is crushed with the 8oz of Liberty malt. An hour long "mini-mash" gonna bring out anything funky there?
I think I might just do a 30 minute agitated steep on this one and worry about mashing the Carapils later on with the next batch.

If you have a homebrew shop near you just go pick up a half pound or so of six row and throw it in with the carapils. That should give you enough enzymes to convert it.

I'd skip the carapils completely. An alt should be crisp and dry and the carapils will do the opposite of that. In addition, there will be plenty of unfermentables in the extract already that will give you mouthfeel.

Why don't you use some wheat malt for mouthfeel?

Fortunately it won't be the only beer I ever brew - so I can always modify it.

Is the general consensus that steeping Carapils without going through the process of converting it's starches to sugars will lend NOTHING to the beer?

1007 gets nasty if the temperatures are too hot. Hopefully it will be smooth. I would use Tettnanger hops...not the domestic ones. Don't be scared to use a generous amount.

Also, extract is already a blend, it's very possibly that is has carapils in it already. Northern Brewer's extract has carapils. And it's properly mashed etc.

I brewed today - but post Super Pole - I'll diddle around about the details later as I'm 2 knots to a pickle picker at the moment.. Laced with Hefe and Grey Goose..
What a game... Thank the maker for the beer.

And so I introduce my Munich Yunger Ale! I think I'm in love...
OG - 1.062
FG - 1.012

6.56%

Just what I wanted when I started... Wild! Even though it needs another 10 to 15 days in the bottle to round out. Very drinkable now.

Nice red. Looks just like mine which I have only one bottle left. Gotta do it again.

I already want to brew it again... This one isn't going to last long!

This beer vanished... Gone way too fast.. I'm getting more supplies for it tomorrow and get a batch in the keg.