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Düsseldorf Alt Recipe

Another homegrown hop harvest is complete and this year, I got a good yield of aroma hops. Although similar to the Northern German Alt recipe, this one has more hops in it. Note the late boil addition. I’ve wanted to brew an Alt for a while.

The recipe below is what I would use if I were buying hop pellets from the shop. Since I am going to use homegrown hops, I am not sure of the alpha acid content and I am not going to find out. I am taking a leap of faith. Plus, I am not using Hallertauer for my 30 minute addition; I am using Mt. Hood – which is similar but not the same. Again, if I didn’t have all these hop cones in my freezer – I would follow this recipe.

Düsseldorf Alt Recipe:

Recipe Version: All grain
Boil Volume: 6.5 gal
Batch Size: 5 gal

Ingredients:

8 lbs Pilsner Malt
1.5 lbs Munich 10°L Malt
0.5 lbs CaraMunich® 60°L
3 oz Carafa Type II
0.5 oz Magnum (14.5% AA) boiled 60 mins
0.5 oz Hallertauer (4.50% AA) boiled 30 mins
Yeast: White Labs WLP036 Dusseldorf Alt

Predictions:

Original Gravity: 1.051
Terminal Gravity: 1.012
Color: 15.93 °SRM
Bitterness: 43.7 IBUs
Alcohol (%volume): 5.1 %

Instructions:

Mash at 150° F for 60 minutes. According to Jamil, you should keep your evaporation rate in check for this style. I plan to boil not as vigorously as I usually do. Chill to 60° F and pitch yeast from a 3 liter starter. Ferment at 60° F for 2 weeks. Style calls for a lagering period so I plant to rack to a secondary vessel and lager for 4 weeks at 35° F. Bottle/keg and carbonate to 2.5 volumes.

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2 Comments

  1. I’ve had commercial versions of whole hop/fresh hop harvests before and loved them. I’m interested in growing my own hops in the near future and I wonder if you feel it’s a noticeable difference between pellet hops from your personal experience?

  2. Hi Josh,

    Some homebrewers claim that whole hops exude more aroma and flavor because they are less processed than pellets. I have used both and I can’t tell a difference.

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