by Shawn Burgy
Northern Dusseldorf German Alt Bier is a very tasty and satisfying beer. a loose translation of Alt Bier would be Old Beer. It is said to be one of the oldest styles in Germany. Rumored to be a beer before Germany had access to Lager yeast. It is a lot like a big malty English Bitter. It tends to have much more hop bitterness than does an English Bitter. It's big on malt and how it is brewed. Very few examples of Dusseldorf Alt Bier can be found in the US.
The only way that I have had Alt Bier is by brewing it myself. It is a very tasty and easy beer for the homebrewer to make. Normally this beer would be brewed using a decotion mash. However you can make a very good Alt Bier by using single infusion mashing.
Gravity for Alt Bier is between 1.046 - 1.056 original gravity. Most are hopped between 25-40 IBU's, All dependent upon the gravity.Always hopped with German noble hops. These usually being Spalt, Hallertau Mittelfrau and sometimes Tettnanger.
Typically made with a Pils base and colored with roasted malt or dark crystal. May include small amounts of Munich or Vienna malt. Noble hops. usually made with an attenuating ale yeast.
This is one beer that you don't want to steer wrong yeast wise. My suggestion is Wyeast 1007 German Dusseldorf Ale. It gives it the perfect big creamy head. Also the perfect degree of malt flavour.
Subtle malty, sometimes grainy aroma. Low to no noble hop aroma. Clean, lager character with very restrained ester profile. No diacetyl.
Fairly bitter yet balanced by a smooth and sometimes sweet malt character that may have a rich, biscuity and/or lightly caramelized flavor. Dry finish often with lingering bitterness. Clean, lager character sometimes with slight sulfur notes and very low to no esters. Very low to medium noble hop flavor. No diacetyl.
Most Alt biers produced outside of Dusseldorf are of the Northern German style. Most are simply moderately bitter brown lagers. Ironically "alt" refers to the old style of brewing (i.e. making ales), which makes the term "Alt Bier" somewhat inaccurate and inappropriate. Those that are made as ales are fermented at cool ale temperatures and lagered at cold temperatures (as with Dusseldorf Alt).
If you can find them, commercial examples would be, DAB Traditional, Hannen Alt, Grolsch Amber, Alaskan Amber, St. Stan's Amber, Schmaltz' Alt
I have been brewing since the craze in the 90's, I stuck to it. Now I'm sharing what I know with you. So give the site below a visit today. It will be evolving and growing with many resources for the new and old brewer alike. The Brewmeister, "Where it's a pleasure to Brew" -Shawn Burgy
Roxy's Bottle Shop has Alaskan Amber in stock if you want to sample an alt beer.
The only way that I have had Alt Bier is by brewing it myself. It is a very tasty and easy beer for the homebrewer to make. Normally this beer would be brewed using a decotion mash. However you can make a very good Alt Bier by using single infusion mashing.
Gravity for Alt Bier is between 1.046 - 1.056 original gravity. Most are hopped between 25-40 IBU's, All dependent upon the gravity.Always hopped with German noble hops. These usually being Spalt, Hallertau Mittelfrau and sometimes Tettnanger.
Typically made with a Pils base and colored with roasted malt or dark crystal. May include small amounts of Munich or Vienna malt. Noble hops. usually made with an attenuating ale yeast.
This is one beer that you don't want to steer wrong yeast wise. My suggestion is Wyeast 1007 German Dusseldorf Ale. It gives it the perfect big creamy head. Also the perfect degree of malt flavour.
Subtle malty, sometimes grainy aroma. Low to no noble hop aroma. Clean, lager character with very restrained ester profile. No diacetyl.
Fairly bitter yet balanced by a smooth and sometimes sweet malt character that may have a rich, biscuity and/or lightly caramelized flavor. Dry finish often with lingering bitterness. Clean, lager character sometimes with slight sulfur notes and very low to no esters. Very low to medium noble hop flavor. No diacetyl.
Most Alt biers produced outside of Dusseldorf are of the Northern German style. Most are simply moderately bitter brown lagers. Ironically "alt" refers to the old style of brewing (i.e. making ales), which makes the term "Alt Bier" somewhat inaccurate and inappropriate. Those that are made as ales are fermented at cool ale temperatures and lagered at cold temperatures (as with Dusseldorf Alt).
If you can find them, commercial examples would be, DAB Traditional, Hannen Alt, Grolsch Amber, Alaskan Amber, St. Stan's Amber, Schmaltz' Alt
I have been brewing since the craze in the 90's, I stuck to it. Now I'm sharing what I know with you. So give the site below a visit today. It will be evolving and growing with many resources for the new and old brewer alike. The Brewmeister, "Where it's a pleasure to Brew" -Shawn Burgy
Roxy's Bottle Shop has Alaskan Amber in stock if you want to sample an alt beer.
