[Pawtucket Patriot]

I'm going to brew an alt on Friday.  I'd like it to be a pretty traditional/authentic alt.  How does this recipe look?

Düsseldorf Altbier
7-C Düsseldorf Altbier
Author: Matt Schwandt

Size: 5.26 gal
Efficiency: 85.0%
Attenuation: 77.0%
Calories: 158.17 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.048 (1.046 - 1.054)
Terminal Gravity: 1.011 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 12.22 (11.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 4.82% (4.5% - 5.2%)
Bitterness: 48.9 (35.0 - 50.0)

Ingredients:
6 lb Pilsen Malt
2 lb Light Munich
.25 lb Caramunich® TYPE II
.15 lb Carafa Special® TYPE III
1 oz Spalt Spalter (4.8%) - added first wort, boiled 65 m
.50 oz Magnum (12.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 m
.50 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) - added during boil, boiled 5 m
1 oz Spalt Spalter (4.8%) - added during boil, boiled 5 m
1 L WYeast 1007 German Ale

Notes
Single infusion batch sparge
- .4g Ca(OH)2 added to mash ==> pH 5.4
- 16 qts @ 165 ==> Saccharafication @ 154 [60 min]
- 3.1 qts @ 212 ==> Mashout @ xxx [10 min]
- 15 qts Sparge H2O @ 183 ==> Sparge @ 170 [10 min]
- 1g CaSO4, 2g MgSO4 added to kettle

Target water profile: 50 Ca, 13 Mg, 16 Na, 33 Cl, 77 SO4

Ferment between 56-58

[snowtiger87]

Looks good to me. I would ferment the beer closer to 60F than 56F, but that could depend on whether you are talking about ambient temp or actual fermenting beer temp.

[majorvices]

If you are using WY1007 then 56-58 is your best target temp., in fact you can even go a degree or two colder. I've been brewing one solidly for a year now and anything warmer than 60 you start to pick up some yeast characteristics I don't care for with this strain. In fact, I recommend to anyone who can't ferment in the mid 50's to go with the WLP001/WY1056 for any Alt or mock lager. It's much cleaner at warmer temps.

Also, I prefer to use a blend of Vienna and Munich as the majority of the grist with only a small amount of pilsner to lighten the body and provide enzymes. Depends what you are going for. If you do this and you want a light copper color you may not need the carafa.

Also, make sure you have enough hop aroma. I use a substantial about of Spalter at 20 min and at 5 minutes.

[bluesman]

Matt...I also like to use blends of Vienna and Munich with a smaller percentage of Pils. This will allow for a maltier profile and give the beer some backbone. If you want a lighter version then I would back off the Vienna/Munich and increase the Pils.

[majorvices]

I actually missed your FWH - you might be good. You may want to increase you aroma hop slightly. Depends what you are going for.

[Pawtucket Patriot]

If I use a blend of Munich/Vienna for the majority of the base malt, won't I be getting close to marzen territory?  Maybe this is ok; I guess there are many base malt iterations for alt.

[denny]

If I use a blend of Munich/Vienna for the majority of the base malt, won't I be getting close to marzen territory?  Maybe this is ok; I guess there are many base malt iterations for alt.

We used a Munich/Vienna combo for the alt we brewed at Beer Camp, if that means anything to you.  The pilot brewer there seemed to think that was the way to go.  I agree with Keith on the lower fermentation temp, but disagree on the need for aroma hops.  Or at least very much of them.

[majorvices]

Actually, doing a little recalculation 1 oz per 5 gallons is slightly more than I use in my recipe, so what you have there should work nicely. I'm just not used to looking at recipes as 5 gallons anymore. And, as I said, I overlooked your FWH at first.

That said, IMO you really need to have some aroma hops if you are making a dusseldorf alt, from my experience and opinion. Can't believe Denny would say you don't need any aroma hops. I'm pretty sure he adds aroma hops to his Wheaties. 

[johnf]

If I use a blend of Munich/Vienna for the majority of the base malt, won't I be getting close to marzen territory?  Maybe this is ok; I guess there are many base malt iterations for alt.

Schumacher is made with all light munich and has a lot of hop aroma. Zum Uerige is made with pilsner and specialty malts and has very little hop aroma. Most people in the US have only had the latter. Both are valid, but the former will be unfamiliar.

[denny]

That said, IMO you really need to have some aroma hops if you are making a dusseldorf alt, from my experience and opinion. Can't believe Denny would say you don't need any aroma hops. I'm pretty sure he adds aroma hops to his Wheaties. 

Wheaties, yes.  Altbier, nope!

[denny]

Schumacher is made with all light munich and has a lot of hop aroma. Zum Uerige is made with pilsner and specialty malts and has very little hop aroma. Most people in the US have only had the latter. Both are valid, but the former will be unfamiliar.

I've actually had both and far prefer the Zum Uerige.  I guess my preference shows in my comments.

[narvin]

Do you really need the pickling lime?  I'd check the pH before adding that... even using water with no alkalinity I really doubt you need that to get your pH to 5.4.

[Pawtucket Patriot]

Do you really need the pickling lime?  I'd check the pH before adding that... even using water with no alkalinity I really doubt you need that to get your pH to 5.4.

According to Bru'n Water, yes.  Bru'n Water has been really accurate for me for in predicting the mash pH when adjusting with pickling lime (I do measure the actual pH).  However, if I reformulate my recipe to include a vienna/munich base, I don't need to make any mash adjustment to hit a pH of 5.4.  Here is a reformulated recipe including a vienna/munich base:

Düsseldorf Altbier
7-C Düsseldorf Altbier
Author: Matt Schwandt

Size: 5.26 gal
Efficiency: 85.0%
Attenuation: 77.0%
Calories: 165.05 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.050 (1.046 - 1.054)
Terminal Gravity: 1.011 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 11.65 (11.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 5.02% (4.5% - 5.2%)
Bitterness: 43.2 (35.0 - 50.0)

Ingredients:
3.25 lb Vienna Malt
3.25 lb Light Munich
2 lb Pilsen Malt
.40 lb Caramunich® TYPE II
.10 lb Carafa Special® TYPE III
1 oz Spalt Spalter (4.8%) - added first wort, boiled 65 m
.40 oz Magnum (12.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 m
.50 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) - added during boil, boiled 5 m
1 oz Spalt Spalter (4.8%) - added during boil, boiled 5 m
1 L WYeast 1007 German Ale

Notes
Single infusion batch sparge
- 16 qts @ 165 ==> Saccharafication @ 154 [60 min]
- 2.82 qts @ 212 ==> Mashout @ xxx [10 min]
- 14 qts Sparge H2O @ 185 ==> Sparge @ 170 [10 min]
- 2.5g CaSO4 added to kettle

Target water profile: 49 Ca, 6 Mg, 16 Na, 33 Cl, 80 SO4

Ferment between 56-58

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.19

[majorvices]

I like the way that looks. I'm glad you kept the aroma hops too. 

[bluesman]

Much better Matt!

Go for it.