First Altbier

BrewSwag 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
P

permo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
2,979
Reaction score
76
Location
North Dakota
I know the grain bill is pretty decent and the yeast is spot on, I was unsure about the hops. This is my first altbier and want to be sure it's decent. Any help is appreciated.

12 gallon Batch
13 pounds Pale Malt
4 pounds Vienna malt
4 pounds munich malt
1.5 pounds Caramunich Malt
6 oz chocolate malt
.80 oz Columbus at 90
4 oz liberty at 30
Mash at 154
WY1007 at 58 degrees
OG = 1.052
FG = 1.014
IBU = 36..ish
SRM = 14ish
 
This is from my Alt recipe and works great.
It is the same around 36.5 IBU.

1.5 oz Mt Hood 6% 60 min.
.5 oz Mt Hood 6% 30 min.
1 oz Saaz 4% 5 min.

5.75 gal. 75 min boil.
 
shutupjojo said:
This is from my Alt recipe and works great.
It is the same around 36.5 IBU.

1.5 oz Mt Hood 6% 60 min.
.5 oz Mt Hood 6% 30 min.
1 oz Saaz 4% 5 min.

5.75 gal. 75 min boil.
Click to expand...

So many recipes I see have hops early in the boil and at 30 minutes. Do ou find the finishing hops add much to the beer? I have some columbia and liberty around that I could toss in at the end of the boil
 
permo said:
So many recipes I see have hops early in the boil and at 30 minutes. Do ou find the finishing hops add much to the beer? I have some columbia and liberty around that I could toss in at the end of the boil
Click to expand...

Columbus is pretty out of style for an Alt. Might make good beer but I would stick with all german or noble-like hops on my first attempt. Liberty should be a good choice here.
 
foltster said:
Columbus is pretty out of style for an Alt. Might make good beer but I would stick with all german or noble-like hops on my first attempt. Liberty should be a good choice here.
Click to expand...

I figured at 90 minutes the bittering addition wouldn't matter that much. I suppose I could go all liberty all the way through.
 
permo said:
I figured at 90 minutes the bittering addition wouldn't matter that much. I suppose I could go all liberty all the way through.
Click to expand...

I'm sure it would be ok at 90. Maybe even go 50/50 on the 2 for your 90 minute? I have always like Columbus but it has a unique flavor that I think(heh...) I can taste even in a bittering addition.
 
permo said:
I figured at 90 minutes the bittering addition wouldn't matter that much. I suppose I could go all liberty all the way through.
Click to expand...

Columbus is pretty neutral, but it's harsher than larger amounts of noble hops would be.

The bittering of noble hops I would call "fine". Very crisp and not harsh. It's nothing like the bittering you'd get from columbus.

You want a medium bitterness, clean and crisp. I'd use noble hops instead of liberty if you could find them. I used tettnang and spalter in my last couple of alts, only as bittering with no flavor/aroma additions. If you don't have any noble hops, liberty would be an ok sub.
 
Yooper said:
Columbus is pretty neutral, but it's harsher than larger amounts of noble hops would be.

The bittering of noble hops I would call "fine". Very crisp and not harsh. It's nothing like the bittering you'd get from columbus.

You want a medium bitterness, clean and crisp. I'd use noble hops instead of liberty if you could find them. I used tettnang and spalter in my last couple of alts, only as bittering with no flavor/aroma additions.
Click to expand...

I will go procure some noble hops as I don't want to screw this beer up!
 
Yooper said:
Columbus is pretty neutral, but it's harsher than larger amounts of noble hops would be.

The bittering of noble hops I would call "fine". Very crisp and not harsh. It's nothing like the bittering you'd get from columbus.

You want a medium bitterness, clean and crisp. I'd use noble hops instead of liberty if you could find them. I used tettnang and spalter in my last couple of alts, only as bittering with no flavor/aroma additions. If you don't have any noble hops, liberty would be an ok sub.
Click to expand...

Agreed but personally I think Liberty has lot of noble qualities, especially if you have it on hand.

Here is the hop profile from Palmer:

Name:

Liberty

Grown:

US

Profile:

Fine, very mild aroma. One of three hops bred as domestic replacements for Hallertauer Mittelfrüh.

Usage:

Finishing for German style lagers

Example:

Pete's Wicked Lager

AA Range:

2.5 - 5%

Substitute:

Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Hallertauer Hersbruck, Mt. Hood,



Crystal, Ultra
 
I procured 3 oz of german hallertauer so I think I will use the hallartuaer to bitter and the liberty at 30....or just blend them together. Either way, columbus is out of the game.
 
My $.02, the move to the noble hop is a wise one or at least more true to style, you might want to consider crafa II or III in place of the chocolate as well.
 
permo said:
So many recipes I see have hops early in the boil and at 30 minutes. Do ou find the finishing hops add much to the beer? I have some columbia and liberty around that I could toss in at the end of the boil
Click to expand...

They definitely add to the beer. This hop schedule produces a well balanced beer. Your recipe is very similar to mine. Should have a nice noble hop aroma and clean bitterness to balance out the rich malt. You can really pick out the Saaz at the end. I would also keep the chocolate malt. :mug:
 
shutupjojo said:
They definitely add to the beer. This hop schedule produces a well balanced beer. Your recipe is very similar to mine. Should have a nice noble hop aroma and clean bitterness to balance out the rich malt. You can really pick out the Saaz at the end. I would also keep the chocolate malt. :mug:
Click to expand...

Grain bill has been finalized, and I am looking forward to that little toasty edge that the chocolate will give me.
 

Similar threads

J
Altbier
2
Replies
48
Views
2K
balrog
balrog
A
Help Me Make My Inauthentic Altbier
Replies
3
Views
648
AlexKay
A
Gadjobrinus
Festbier - first lager back in.
Replies
17
Views
1K
Brooothru
Brooothru
V
Flanders Red Recipe Check
Replies
5
Views
2K
TheMadKing
TheMadKing
Mutt98
First time Lagering/Oktoberfesting
Replies
30
Views
2K
wdavis2003
W

Latest posts

Back
Top