Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel Clone

[wilconrad]

I'm a big fan of Ayinger's Altbairisch Dunkel but am not having much luck finding a clone recipe out there. Anyone attempted to brew this one or know of a recipe?

Here's what I'm thinking for a starting point:

25% Munich I
65% Munich II
5% Melanoidin
5% Dextrine
~20 IBU's Hallertau
Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager

Thoughts?

 

[wilconrad]

Bueller?

 

[BeerGrylls]

Try palmer's "brewing classic recipes" page 76 I believe

 

[jsguitar]

Sorry to bump an old thread but was wondering if you ever honed in on something close. I'm drinking it right now and it has a pretty prominent raisiny note like there's a very dark crystal in there. Great beer! I'd love to make something like it and I have some WLP833 on hand.

 

[wilconrad]

Yes, I did end up brewing up a beer that was pretty close; I enjoyed it anyway! Here's what I did (5.5gal batch):

9lb Munich II
1lb Melanoiden
8oz Caramunich II
2oz Blackprinz Malt

Step Mash
30 mins @ 148
60 mins @ 156

90 Minute Boil
.8oz Tettnang (6%, 60mins)
1oz Saaz (5%, 5 mins)

Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager
10 days @ 50
2 days @ 65
Ramped down to 35 over 2 weeks
Lagered for 1 month more at 35

Flavor notes I wrote down after tapping the keg: delicious, malty beer; change nothing.

Post back here if you end up brewing it and/or making any changes; enjoy!

 

[BeerGrylls]

wilconrad, what did you end up with for color on that? 2oz of blackprinz seems like it might make this darker and roastier than an authentic dunkel.

 

[wobdee]

I've been trying to hone in on this as well. Started out with mostly dark Munich, about 5% Pils and a touch of Carafa for color which turned out real nice but I'm missing that rasin/prune flavor so I'm trying some caramunich. I'm thinking a touch of 120 crystal may turn out better tho.

It states on the Ayinger site they use 5 different malts for their Dunkel but doesn't go into the types or amounts.

 

[BeerGrylls]

If you want a raisin flavor you may want to try special b. It's not a German malt, so it's not authentic, but you'll get the flavor. A little goes a long way.

 

[FarmerTed]

Raisin/prune sounds like an oxidation/aged flavor to me. I wouldn't shoot for that.

This is a great beer; I think the dunkel recipe in Brewing Classic Styles is supposed to be close to it.

 

[jsguitar]

I had thought of the special B too. It's a good idea. I was thinking something like .5lb in an 11 gal batch to start. I have some caraaroma too that I'm curious to try. I've not used it before but it's 132-169L.

Like wobdee, I read a quote from Michael Jackson saying that it had five malts, two of which were torrified (from the site). Right now I'm thinking a blend of Munich I and II, a touch of carafa special ii, and the special B or caraaroma. I'd probably do a long single decoction for mash out for the melanoidins. I'm not sure about the torrified though.

ETA: Re: comment above. It's possible that it could be a tad oxidized but it has a noticeable caramel flavor as well so I don't think that's it. The BCS book is great no doubt but that recipe is only 2 malts and is missing the caramel flavor that's pretty obvious in this one.

 

[jsguitar]

I should add, in some of the commercial descriptions it actually says it has a 'plummy fruitiness' in the finish.

 

[BeerGrylls]

I've been to Bavaria and had dunkel lagers while there. I didn't recall them having that flavor profile but hey, it's your beer.

 

[wobdee]

I've never been to Germany but it sure would be nice to try a fresh sample. Maybe oxygenation does have something to do with that flavor I'm tasting? I get that similar flavor from Haufbrau Dunkel.

 

[wilconrad]

wilconrad, what did you end up with for color on that? 2oz of blackprinz seems like it might make this darker and roastier than an authentic dunkel.

Color was 18 SRM according to beersmith; it was a nice deep reddish color, similar to the Ayinger. Wish I'd taken a pic but the keg is long gone now, unfortunately.

Blackprinz in this quantity does not produce any discernible flavor; I added it purely to push the color into the range I was looking for. No roasted flavors in this beer at all.