christo
08-03-2009, 02:32 PM
More of an amber lager - and usually in hybrid category, but mine was made with lager yeast. Won a second place ribbon in a very large competition, averaging 38.5 points. The judges only comment was to get a little more malt complexity, though they both noted toast and caramel in their evaluations, which is what the guidelines call for.
This turned out to be a very nice beer. I lagered it extensively, mainly due to no time to keg/brew/etc for several months in early spring. Also used SuperMoss for the first time. Turned out crystal clear accordingly. Just on the bitter side of balanced with nice amounts of caramel, toastiness, and a little Munich "grapenut" flavor in their.
Brewer: Christo
Beer: North German Alt
Style: North German Altbier
Type: All grain Size: 5.2 gallons
Color: 28 HCU (~15 SRM)
Bitterness: 35 IBU
OG: 1.059
FG: 1.012
Alcohol: 6.1% v/v (4.8% w/w)
Grain:
7.5 lb. German Pilsner
2 lb. German Munich
.75 lb. American crystal 60L
.25 lb. Belgian CaraMunich
.125 lb. Carafa Special
11 oz. Light dry malt extract
Mash: 70% efficiency
154F for 4 hrs (mashed during 1/2 day workday).
Boil: 75 minutes SG 1.050 6.2 gallons
IM (super moss) at 15 min.
Hops:
.625 oz. Magnum (13.6% AA, 60 min.)
1.375 oz. Hallertauer Hersbrucker (3% AA, 15 min.)
Yeast: 34/70 from a Helles cake.
Log: 3 weeks primary at 52F. 11 weeks secondary at 46F.
Carbonation: medium carbonation
Tasting: Prettiest beer I think I've ever made. Super clear and a wonderful amber color. Clean lager aroma (no diacetyl or DMS) with hints of munich malt and wiff of noble hops. Just about balanced though falls to bitter side at end. Great malt presence with a hint of caramel and munich dark fruit but the hops dry it out a bit and add a tinge of spicy noble character. Early in the keg it still had some sulfur (which is appropriate to style) but dissipated over time. My brother highly preferred over Alaskan Amber.
This turned out to be a very nice beer. I lagered it extensively, mainly due to no time to keg/brew/etc for several months in early spring. Also used SuperMoss for the first time. Turned out crystal clear accordingly. Just on the bitter side of balanced with nice amounts of caramel, toastiness, and a little Munich "grapenut" flavor in their.
Brewer: Christo
Beer: North German Alt
Style: North German Altbier
Type: All grain Size: 5.2 gallons
Color: 28 HCU (~15 SRM)
Bitterness: 35 IBU
OG: 1.059
FG: 1.012
Alcohol: 6.1% v/v (4.8% w/w)
Grain:
7.5 lb. German Pilsner
2 lb. German Munich
.75 lb. American crystal 60L
.25 lb. Belgian CaraMunich
.125 lb. Carafa Special
11 oz. Light dry malt extract
Mash: 70% efficiency
154F for 4 hrs (mashed during 1/2 day workday).
Boil: 75 minutes SG 1.050 6.2 gallons
IM (super moss) at 15 min.
Hops:
.625 oz. Magnum (13.6% AA, 60 min.)
1.375 oz. Hallertauer Hersbrucker (3% AA, 15 min.)
Yeast: 34/70 from a Helles cake.
Log: 3 weeks primary at 52F. 11 weeks secondary at 46F.
Carbonation: medium carbonation
Tasting: Prettiest beer I think I've ever made. Super clear and a wonderful amber color. Clean lager aroma (no diacetyl or DMS) with hints of munich malt and wiff of noble hops. Just about balanced though falls to bitter side at end. Great malt presence with a hint of caramel and munich dark fruit but the hops dry it out a bit and add a tinge of spicy noble character. Early in the keg it still had some sulfur (which is appropriate to style) but dissipated over time. My brother highly preferred over Alaskan Amber.