| Altbier / American Amber |
| Home Brewing Recipes Brooks Brewery Associate Brewer Arny Lands |
| Beer Nexus the crossroads of the beer world |
| First let me thank all of the readers who stopped in to say hello to me at my new position at the Brooks Brewery in the Northside Lounge in Manville, NJ. Although we don't do it for the general public if you write me here at BeerNexus we can set up an appointment for a private tour. Our head brewer Art Hanneman and I invite you to come in and enjoy some of our beers. I may be prejudiced a bit, but they're the best around. Okay, now for this month's article. The first recipe I have for you is for a a genuine Altbier. The style began in Northern Germany and while you don't see it too often it nonetheless is an excellent beer. . One way of looking at this style is that altbier is the opposite of steam beer. While steam beers are lagers fermented at ale temperatures, an altbier is most often an ale fermented at low temperatures and then cold conditioned like a lager. Ingredients 12 oz. (336 grams) Caramunich malt 4 oz. (112 grams) chocolate malt 4 oz. (112 grams) black patent malt 4 lbs. (1.8 kg) Munich liquid malt extract 2 lbs. (0.9 kg) pale liquid malt extract 1 lb. (0.45 kg) wheat liquid malt extract 1 oz. (28 grams) Perle hops 1 oz. (28 grams) Spalt hops 1 tsp. Irish Moss or one Whirlfloc tablet Use one of the following yeasts based on your preference: Wyeast 1007 (German Ale), White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch) or White Labs WLP036 (Düsseldorf Alt) Step by step Place the grains in a grain bag and steep in 155 ºF (68 ºC) water for 15 minutes. Remove the bag and allow to drain, then discard the grains. Bring water to boil, turn off heat and add the extracts, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a boil and add 1 oz. (28 grams) Perle bittering hops. After 45 minutes add 1/2 oz. (14 grams) Spalt hops for flavor and the Irish moss or a Whirlfloc tablet. After 55 minutes have elapsed, add 1/2 oz. (14 grams) Spalt hops for aroma. Wyeast 1007 (German Ale) yeast will ferment at temperatures as low as 55 ºF (13 ºC), producing an exceptionally clean beer normally only found with lagers. White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch) ferments down to 62 ºF (17 ºC), finishes clean and brings out hop flavors. For a sweeter finish with less hop flavor try WLP036 (Düsseldorf Alt). After primary fermentation is complete, drop the temperature down to 32–40 ºF (0–4 ºC) and cold condition for 2–6 weeks. Bottle or keg with a goal of medium-high carbonation and enjoy!you it was quick and easy! --------- Here's my take on an American Amber Ale. Although a relative to the American pale ale, amber ales should not have a high level of hop aroma. Rather, they should be hopped in a way that balances and compliments the malty profile. Most of the bitterness levels for this style of beer are achieved in the early hop additions. Ingredients 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Coopers light malt extract 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) amber dry malt extract 8oz. (224 grams) crystal 40 ºL 2oz. (56 grams) crystal 135–165 ºL 1/2. oz. (14 grams) Chinook hops (60 minutes) 1 oz. (28 grams) Willamette hops (30 minutes) 1 oz. (28 grams) Willamette hops (5 minutes) White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) yeast 1 tsp. Irish moss at 45 minutes 3/4 cup priming sugar Step by step Fill brew pot with at least 3 gallons (11.4 L) of cold fresh water. Bring water temperature up to 150 ºF (66 ºC). Add steeping grains to a muslin bag. Tie up the end of the bag and add to the brewing pot. Steep grains for 15–20 minutes then remove. Stir in the liquid and dry malt extracts until completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil making sure to watch carefully to prevent a boil over. Once a nice gentle rolling boil is achieved, add the first addition of Chinook hops. The total boiling time will be 60 minutes. At 30 minutes into the boil, add the first addition of Willamette Hops. At 45 minutes into the boil, add the Irish Moss. At 55 minutes into the boil, add the second addition of Willamette Hops. After 60 minutes, turn off stove and remove brewing pot from heat. Remove hops. Cool the wort down as quickly as possible by using a wort chiller or by placing brewing pot into a cold water bath in your sink. Once wort has reached 75–80 ºF (~25 ºC), add it to your fermenter. Top the fermenter up to 5 gallons (19 L) with fresh cold water. Mix well to aerate the wort and add the yeast. Allow the beer to ferment at 65–70 ºF (~19 ºC) until complete (typically 7–10 days) and then either rack to a secondary, keg or bottle the beer. Wait 10–14 days and enjoy your beer! hat's it for this month. Hope to see you next time! Good Brewing and Cheers! Arny Lands |
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