Going to Brew a traditional Altbier this weekend, need some opinions

Can anyone give me an opinion of my recipe that I am going to do this weekend?

Recipe: Alte Geheimnis Bier TYPE: All Grain
Style: Düsseldorf Altbier
---RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS-----------------------------------------------
SRM: 12.6 SRM SRM RANGE: 11.0-17.0 SRM
IBU: 34.9 IBUs Tinseth IBU RANGE: 35.0-50.0 IBUs
OG: 1.048 SG OG RANGE: 1.046-1.054 SG
FG: 1.008 SG FG RANGE: 1.010-1.015 SG
BU:GU: 0.725 Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz Est ABV: 5.2 %
EE%: 72.00 % Batch: 5.50 gal Boil: 6.74 gal BT: 60 Mins

---WATER CHEMISTRY ADDITIONS----------------

Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.00 gal Dusseldorf, Germany Water 1 -
4.60 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent2 -
3.80 g Baking Soda (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent3 -
2.30 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 4 -
1.00 g Chalk (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 5 -
0.70 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 6 -
0.60 g Salt (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 7 -

Total Grain Weight: 9 lbs 12.2 oz Total Hops: 3.05 oz oz.
---MASH/STEEP PROCESS------MASH PH:5.40 ------
>>>>>>>>>>-ADD WATER CHEMICALS BEFORE GRAINS!!<<<<<<<
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
7 lbs 14.4 oz Pilsner (Weyermann) (1.6 SRM) Grain 8 80.9 %
1 lbs 6.4 oz Munich I (Weyermann) (8.0 SRM) Grain 9 14.3 %
3.9 oz Vienna Malt (Weyermann) (3.5 SRM) Grain 10 2.5 %
3.5 oz Black Malt - 2-Row (Briess) (500.0 SRM) Grain 11 2.3 %


Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Acid Rest Add 21.58 qt of water at 98.0 F 95.0 F 45 min
Protein Rest Decoct 5.93 qt of mash and boil it 122.0 F 60 min
Saccharification Decoct 7.42 qt of mash and boil it 148.0 F 15 min
Saccharification Decoct 3.21 qt of mash and boil it 156.0 F 15 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 10 min

---SPARGE PROCESS---
>>>>>>>>>>-RECYCLE FIRST RUNNINGS & VERIFY GRAIN/MLT TEMPS: 72.0 F/72.0 F
>>>>>>>>>>-ADD BOIL CHEMICALS BEFORE FWH
Fly sparge with 3.02 gal water at 168.0 F

---BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.043 SG Est OG: 1.048 SG
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1.25 oz Spalter [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 12 18.9 IBUs
1.00 oz Spalter [4.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 13 11.6 IBUs
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 14 -
0.80 oz Spalter [4.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 15 4.4 IBUs

---FERM PROCESS-----------------------------
Primary Start: - 4.00 Days at 59.0 F
Secondary Start: - 7.00 Days at 55.0 F
Tertiary Start: - Lager 30 Days at 32.0 F
Style Carb Range: 2.10-3.10 Vols
Bottling Date: with 2.7 Volumes CO2:
---NOTES------------------------------------


Update on my Altbier.
Well I brewed up the altbier yesterday. I did the triple decoction mash. Everything went great. My OG was 1.047 (right on target). Then pitched the yeast I am doing a cool open fermentation at 59F. I used Wyeast #1007 German Ale III.
Today I took a picture at 13 hours after pitching the yeast. Then this evening I took another at 23 hours. Then scrapped the Krausen off and gave it a gentle stir to wake up the yeast.

Update 48 Hours after pitching. Creamy krausen very strong smell of bread and fruity kind of like banana. Scrapped krausen and stirred up yeast gently. Still strong yeast activity.
Took measurement 1.022 refracometer (corrected 1.019).
Photo on left is at 35 hours, Photo on right is at 48 hours.

Update 59 hours after pitching.
This morning the krausen is very different its a even smooth krausen small bubbles and a strong bread smell. Probably be racking to carboy tonite and start lagering. Photo is at 59 hours.

I'd love to hear how this turns out. I think I have an Altbier on my planned on-deck for this summer, but am currently gathering recipe ideas.

Question tho, why rack after only 3 days? I would leave that beer in primary for a 1-2weeks before starting to lager. Just curious I guess.

solbes said:

I'd love to hear how this turns out. I think I have an Altbier on my planned on-deck for this summer, but am currently gathering recipe ideas.

Question tho, why rack after only 3 days? I would leave that beer in primary for a 1-2weeks before starting to lager. Just curious I guess.

Click to expand...

I figure the way its going that I'll be at my target SG by this evening, I'm aiming for 1.008 SG. After I rack it into a carboy I'll lower the temperature to 55F for 7 days. Then rack again then lager it at about 32F for at least 4 weeks.
Do you plan on doing a triple decoction on the altbier your planning? I would highly suggest it. Since I started doing that my german style beers have had so much more body to them. It's alot more to do but well worth it.

Never done a triple decoction mash, maybe I'll look into it. Thx

Guess I always leave my beer on primary yeast for at least a week after it reaches FG. Wasn't very impressed with my first batch that was racked only 4 days into the fermentation, though there were other issues as well that could have been the real problem.

seabeemech1970 said:

I figure the way its going that I'll be at my target SG by this evening, I'm aiming for 1.008 SG. After I rack it into a carboy I'll lower the temperature to 55F for 7 days. Then rack again then lager it at about 32F for at least 4 weeks.
Do you plan on doing a triple decoction on the altbier your planning? I would highly suggest it. Since I started doing that my german style beers have had so much more body to them. It's alot more to do but well worth it.

Click to expand...

I usually do a Hochkurz double decoction (no acid rest and a 131 protein rest) on my Alt, sticke, marzen, bock, etc beers. It definitely adds something to the body and flavor profile, IMO.

72 hours after pitching. Krausen still creamy, not much CO2 activity. Took measurement 1.018 (corrected 1.018).
Racking to carboy. Will secondary for 7 days. Aiming for between 1.010 to 1.015. TO match style guidelines.

Just got done racking into a carboy, temperature set at 55F. Checking it in 7 days.Hopefully it will drop to around 1.013 SG.

solbes said:

I'd love to hear how this turns out. I think I have an Altbier on my planned on-deck for this summer, but am currently gathering recipe ideas.

Question tho, why rack after only 3 days? I would leave that beer in primary for a 1-2weeks before starting to lager. Just curious I guess.

Click to expand...

Do you do open fermentation?

I'm very curious to hear how this turns out. That was an awfully long protein rest. I use them quite frequently, but never go over 20 min.

The recipe look nicely traditional.

No always closed fermentations.

How did this turn out?

It turned out great. one of my favorites. i highly recommend open fermentation and triple decoction it adds so much more to the body

What was the reasoning behind the chalk and bicarbonate?

StMarcos said:

What was the reasoning behind the chalk and bicarbonate?

Click to expand...

To replicate the water from Düsseldorf