Altbier Sticke Altbier - HBT 2011 3rd place Cat 23

Scored 35.5 and 3rd place in HBT final round for Cat 23.


Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 13.5 gal
Boil Size: 15.5 gal
Estimated OG: 1.066 SG
Estimated Color: 13.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 55.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 82.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grist:
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15.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) - 51%
9.00 lb Pilsen Malt (1.9 SRM) - 31%
3.00 lb German Pale Wheat Malt (2.0 SRM) - 10%
1.59 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) - 5%
0.625 lb Carafa (337.0 SRM) - 2%

Hops:
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4.75 oz Tradition (7.1%) - pellet - 60 min
2.00 oz Czech Saaz (5.5%) - pellet - 60 min
1.50 oz Hersbrucker(2.5%) - pellet - 30 min
1.50 oz Hersbrucker(2.5%) - pellet - 5 min
2.75 oz Hersbrucker(2.5%) - pellet - Dry Hop - 14 days

Misc:
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SuperMoss HB (Boil 10.0 min) Misc

Yeast:
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Wyeast 1007 - German Ale - starter per Mr Malty - chilled and decanted

Mash Schedule:
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Infusion to 131*F - 20 min
Infusion to 149*F - 30 min
Decoction to 158*F - 30 min
Decoction to 170*F - 10 min
Fly Sparge @ 170 to collect to the 15.5 gallon pre-boil volume.


Chill to 55*F, whirlpool, move to fermentor, oxygenate with pure O2 and pitch.

Let rise naturally to 62*F and hold there for duration of primary and secondary. Dry hops added once primary fermentation complete.


Future Versions:
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Based on judging commentary from 3 different competitions, future versions should have more hops to balance the richness/intensity of the malt or less intense malt to balance the hops. Regardless, hope someone else can brew a take on this and comment how it turned out.

Have you tried this again? I am looking for ideas for a brew competition where we have to use honey. I had an idea of a honey alt. Discovered the sticke style while researching. I would like to use honey malt in addition to honey so i can get some honey flavor. I was thinking of a little special B and some chocolate instead of the carafa. I'm still relatively a noob, so what are your thoughts on that? How would you adjust the hops?

you know you're a homebrewer when you see the picture posted above and feel... aroused.