Dortmunder, feat. Spalt Select

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944play

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I bought a bunch of hops this past weekend, including some very pretty 4.4% leaf Spalt Select. Since I have a cake of Munich lager yeast to harvest, I thought I would put it to good use in a deliciously balanced beer. How about this (4-gallon batch):

Ca 90ppm, SO4 150ppm, Cl2 60ppm, HCO3 150ppm
7lb Pils
3lb Munich 6.5L
1oz Spalt 60min 22 IBU
1oz Spalt 10min 5 IBU
Whirlfloc & Wyeast Nutrient
200ml WY2308 slurry

Double decoction, 145-158-168 (long rest at 145 for fermentability)
90min boil, ferment 50F

1.053 OG, 1.013 FG, 5 SRM, 27 IBU

The only Dort I've had in the past ten years is a Flensburger Gold. I'd like a crisper, fresher taste - will 150ppm SO4 help with that?
 
Will be interested to hear the result. Wish I could provide useful input but my Dortmunder is nowhere near done. IIRC, I used a similar recipe (including the double-D) but a bit less Munich and used Hallertau.

However, I'm pretty sure I went with a more malty CL/SO4 ratio...more Cl than SO4 but neither was as high as your SO4 (I typ like less 'crispness' than many people do). I used WY2278 Czech Pils (Pilsner-Urquell-D strain) for the same reason you're using WY2308...had it 'ready-to-harvest'. Mine is slated for around 6/6 to be ready.

EDIT: 944play...do you think the HCO3 is too high @ 150ppm for a beer this light? I'd have to check my notes but I'm sure I diluted my water with quite a bit of distilled as I usually do with really light beers. But I have yet to make a really satisfying light lager so...maybe I shouldn't. They're decent and way better than BMC but just not; "omg that is so effing delicious" good.
 
944play...do you think the HCO3 is too high @ 150ppm for a beer this light?

Well, since Dortmund water is around 220, I figure it should be ok per style. If this was helles or Boh Pils, I would go buy some RO.

I'm sampling my B3 Vienna. It's reminding me that I should not be brewing lagers.:( For one thing, I don't have a lagering fridge, so it's been outside at night and in a cooler in the day, when I remember, averaging about 55. For another, I don't have the pipeline or the patience. It's tasting so-so right now, but I KNOW it would be killer if it just spent a month in the cold.
 
Brewing now, just doughed in. Did not have much gypsum on-hand, so my water will look like:
Ca: 64
Cl2: 73
SO4: 58

EDIT: Halfway through boil. 75% efficiency, exactly as I formulated for.
Teig from decoction
3472946980_b76614dd58.jpg

60min add, 1oz. They look so pretty at this stage
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Recirculating chiller
3472140053_7ef0b3d802.jpg

(Inadequately) washed yeast in 4L jug
3472140087_2f9893f244.jpg

Straining hops from chilled wort
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Ugh, whole hops....
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A lot of work for four gallons of beer...
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Now I am rewarding myself with a Deschutes Dissident
 
A lot of work for four gallons of beer...
It's a labor of love.

Looks like a winner! Racked my naturally-carbed Dort just Thursday and it's still a point or two high (1.015 from 1.053) but fully carbonated. Still dialing this natural-carb process in.
 
The only Dort I've had in the past ten years is a Flensburger Gold. I'd like a crisper, fresher taste - will 150ppm SO4 help with that?

Never brewed an Export (Dortumunder), but Flensburger Gold is not really the greatest example IMO
 
It's a labor of love.

I wouldn't be taking photos if I didn't love it.:eek:

Good commercial German lagers are really hard to come by, especially here. I don't think I've seen ANY of the BJCP Dort examples for sale locally -- the Flens I had was in Texas. Anyway, Flensburg is 500km from Dortmund, so how representative could it be?
 
Well, Exports are brewed all over Germany. Almost every brewery who puts out a Pilsner also has an Export. I see them on a regular base at the local beer stores, just keep your eyes open. You should not have a problem finding an Export.
 
Ugh. I'm 80% sure this beer has a Brett infection.:(
1. It won't stop fermenting.
2. It's getting some BIG bubbles on top.
3. I think I taste a twinge of Brett in the beer that I repitched from.

EDIT: Just kegged it at 1.012, and pretty tasty. If it's infected, it's not a bad one! Maybe just tired yeast.
 
Update: This beer is FANTASTIC - as long as it's cold and carbonated! It's a little thick and sweet otherwise, but the hops really pop with flamboyant herbal tones, the head is rich and foamy, and the beer is a nice clear gold.

I bought another grainbill to match with the other 2oz of Spalt:
8lb German Pils
1lb Belgian Aromatic

Now I know everyone here will get their panties in a wad saying that's too much Aromatic, but if it's really just like extra-dark Munich, I'm sure I'm going to love it.:fro:
 
Brewing now. 73% efficient. Going for slightly more bitterness and sulfate to give the beer a little more pop. S-189 should attenuate a little better too.

Weird though, the wort is so clear and there's barely any hot break.

Drinking Pacifico, which is giving Negra Modelo a run for its money as my favorite Mexican beer! It's so bright, crisp, and herbal.
 
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