My Alstadt Altbier is one of my favorite recipes, and now we’re into the sixth iteration for this fall. I inevitably have some variation, but the core philosophy of Pilsner+Munich+Vienna at the core with a ~60L crystal/caramel malt of some sort to round out the profile (and a bit of Carafa Special II for color) has been consisten. The main difference from last batch is that I used all Caramunich I instead of a 50/50 mix of Caramel Munich 60L and Caramunich II. I also switched up the yeast a bit this time, because Lallemand’s Köln strain is no longer available.

Recipe Name

• 6.5 lb. Viking Pilsner Zero malt
• 1.5 lb. Munich malt (BestMalz)
• 1.5 lb. Vienna malt (Weyermann)
• 1 lb. Caramunich I (Weyermann)
• 2 oz. Carafa Special II (Weyermann)
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, added to mash
• 2 oz. Spalt Spalter hop pellets (4.3% alpha), 60 minute boil
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, 10 minute boil
• 1 Whirlfloc tablet, 5 minute boil
• 1 oz. Spalt Spalter hop pellets (4.3% alpha), 5 minute boil
• 1 pkg. Kaiser liquid yeast (Imperial G02)
• 1 pkg. SafAle German Ale (Fermentis K-97)

Target Parameters

• 60 minute infusion mash, 152°, full volume mash
• 1.048 o.g., 1.011 f.g., 4.9% abv, 35 IBU, 13 SRM
• Claremont tap water, adjusted with Campden tablet

Procedure

• I made a 1L shaken-not-stirred vitality starter for the yeast (which had a package best-by date of January 2025). I used a can of starter propper with distilled water, started at 2:30 pm on brew day.
• I heated 7.3 gallons of water to 157° and added the grains, letting it settle at 152° for 60 minutes, with recirculation. Unfortunately, I had mis-entered the strike water temperature, so I overshot the mash temperature by about 10 degrees. Once this was done, I raised the temperature to 168° for a 10 minute rest before removing the grains.
• The mash yielded 6.5 gallons of runnings at at gravity of 1.040, for 65% mash efficiency.
• I brought the runnings to a boil, adding hops and finings per the recipe. Once the boil was done, I chilled to around 80° and then transferred to the fermenter for an overnight chill the rest of the way.
• I brewed the beer on 30 August 2025. Starting gravity was 1.046.
• The starter had minimal signs of life by the afternoon of 31 August 2025, so I pitched the starter as well as a packet of K-97. I fermented at 64°.
• The fermentation kicked off vigorously within 12 hours.
• I kegged the beer on 11 September 2025. It had a final gravity of 1.015, for 4.1% abv.

Tasting

• Appearance
  • Pours with a creamy ivory head of reasonable persistence. The beer itself is a deep amber, and brilliantly clear.
• Aroma
  • Light caramel and malty aroma at a moderate level, with light toffee notes; no major yeast aroma. Slight herbal hop character.
• Flavor
  • Medium malty and light caramel flavor. Medium high bitterness. Herbal and spicy hop character, at a moderate level.
• Mouthfeel
  • Moderately light body, medium carbonation, slightly dry finish. The body is surprisingly thin.
• Would I Brew This Again?
  • This very is decent, but the body is a little lighter than usual, and the flavor seems thinner relative to my recollections and past notes. I might increase the mash temperature next time (but not as much as was here). This is not my best version of the beer! It’s odd that it feels so thing given the final gravity.
• Overall
  • 6/10