Northern German Altbier is a altbier kolsch that homebrewers reach for when they want a project worth the extra attention. This version keeps the grain bill built around Pilsner malt, and leans on Magnum 11% to shape the finish.
Recipe at a Glance
Recipe at a Glance
| Style | Northern German Altbier |
| Batch Size | 5 gallons (19L) |
| Boil Time | 60-90 minutes |
| Original Gravity | 1.044-1.052 |
| Final Gravity | 1.008-1.012 |
| ABV | 4.5-5.2% |
| IBU | 25-40 |
| SRM | 4-14 (pale gold to copper) |
| Difficulty | Intermediate (hybrid fermentation) |
Brew Day, Step by Step
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1
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Mash · ~60 min Mash the grain bill, led by Pilsner malt, at a steady temperature to build the fermentable sugars this style needs. Sparge slowly so you do not lose efficiency. |
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2
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Boil · ~60-90 min Bring the wort to a boil and work through the hop schedule, starting with Magnum 11%. This is also where you will add any fining agent for a clearer finished beer. |
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3
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Ferment · 12C (54F) Pitch Wyeast 1007 German Ale once the wort has cooled to fermentation temperature and hold it steady. Primary fermentation is the most active week, do not rush it. |
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4
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Condition · 7 weeks at 3C (37F) Rack to secondary (or leave in primary if your recipe calls for it) and let the beer round out at a cool, steady temperature. This step does more for the final flavor than people expect. |
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5
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Package · 1 day, then wait Bottle or keg once gravity has held steady for a few days in a row. Give it time to carbonate and, for bigger styles, additional time to mellow before your first taste. |
That’s the shape of brew day and the weeks after it. For the exact grain bill, hop schedule, and full step-by-step instructions with amounts, use the recipe card below.
What You Will Need
Sourcing your own ingredients locally is always fine, but if you want to skip a homebrew store trip, here is what’s in stock in our shop right now:
- Base and specialty grain: Grains & Adjuncts (e.g. Briess BJ-5U8M-8RRM Chocolate Malt 1 lb., Brown)
- Bittering and aroma hops: Brewing Hops (e.g. Magnum Hop Pellets 1 oz)
- Yeast: Brewing Yeast (e.g. Safbrew T-58 (3 Count 11.5 g Packs))
- Secondary fermenter for conditioning: Fermenters & Carboys (e.g. FASTFERMENT Floor Stand for FastFerment 7.9 Gallon Conical Fermenter)
- Priming sugar for bottling: Priming Sugar (e.g. Mr Beer Homebrewing Carbonation Drops)
- General kit and tools: Homebrew Equipment (e.g. Monster Brew Home Brewing Supplies Home Brew Ohio Complete Beer Equi)
- Pour it right when it’s ready: a tulip glass shows off the color and holds the aroma better than a straight pint glass
Serve It Right
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A Northern German Altbier is best served in a stange, it fits the body and carbonation of this style better than a straight pint glass. Here is one from our shop: |
Ingredients & Gear for This Batch
Grain / Adjuncts |
Hops |
Yeast |
Fermenter |
Priming Sugar |
Equipment |
Full Recipe: Grain Bill, Hops, and Instructions
Northern German Altbier
Equipment
- 1 Mash tun or large pot
- 1 Brew kettle or large pot
- 1 Fermenter (e.g. glass carboy or plastic bucket)
- 1 Airlock
- 1 Immersion chiller or other cooling method
- 1 Brewing thermometer
- 1 Brewing spoon or paddle
- 1 Hydrometer or refractometer
- 1 Brewing scale
- 1 Brewing pH meter (optional)
- 1 Fermentation temperature control system (optional)
- 1 Racking cane or siphon
- 1 Bottling bucket or kegging system
- 1 Bottles or kegs
- 1 Bottle capper or kegging equipment
- 1 Brewing sanitizer
- 1 Brewing cleaner
- 1 Airlock brush
- 1 Funnel
- 1 Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Muslin or nylon bags for hops and grains
- 1 A brewer's log or notebook (for recording details of your brewing process)
Ingredients
For the Mash – Liquor 13 Litres (23 Pints) – Mash Time 1 hr – Temperature 65°c/149 °F
- 4½ lb Pilsner malt Quantity 2kg
- 4½ lb Pale malt Quantity 2kg
- 1.2 lb Caramunich III Quantity 500g
- 10½ oz Carapils Quantity 300g
- 2 oz Carafa special III Quantity 60g
For the Boil – 27 Litres (47½ Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 10 mins
- 1 oz (Hops) Magnum 11% When to add – At start of boil (IBU 34.7)
- 1 tsp Protofloc Other – When to add – For last 15 mins of boil
To Ferment – 12°C (54°F) – Conditioning 7 weeks at 3°C (37°F)
- 1 Wyeast 1007 German Ale
Instructions
Mash Preparation:
- In a large pot or mash tun, heat 13 liters (23 pints) of water to a temperature of 65°C (149°F).
- Add the following ingredients to the heated water:
- 4½ lb Pilsner malt (2kg)
- 4½ lb Pale malt (2kg)
- 1.2 lb Caramunich III (500g)
- 10½ oz Carapils (300g)
- 2 oz Carafa special III (60g)
- Stir the mixture thoroughly to ensure all the grains are well combined.
- Allow the mash to rest for 1 hour at a temperature of 65°C (149°F) to extract flavors and sugars from the grains.
Boiling
- After the mash rest, transfer the mash liquid (wort) to a brew kettle or large pot capable of holding at least 27 liters (47½ pints) of liquid.
- Bring the wort to a boil and maintain a rolling boil for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- At the start of the boil, add 1 oz (28g) of Magnum hops, known for their high alpha acid content (11%). This addition contributes to the beer's bitterness (IBU 34.7).
- For the last 15 minutes of the boil, add 1 teaspoon of Protofloc or any other clarifying agent to help clear the beer.
Cooling and Fermentation:
- After boiling, cool the wort as quickly as possible to a temperature of 12°C (54°F). You can use an immersion chiller or a combination of ice baths and stirring to expedite the cooling process.
- Once the wort has reached the desired temperature, transfer it to a sanitized fermenter, leaving behind any sediment or hop debris.
- Pitch the yeast into the fermenter. In this case, use Wyeast 1007 German Ale yeast. Follow the yeast's instructions for proper activation and pitching.
- Seal the fermenter with an airlock to allow carbon dioxide to escape while preventing outside air from entering.
Fermentation and Conditioning:
- Place the fermenter in a cool area with a consistent temperature of 12°C (54°F).
- Allow the beer to ferment for approximately 28 days. During this time, the yeast will convert sugars into alcohol and the flavors will develop.
- After primary fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter or a keg for conditioning.
- Condition the beer for 7 weeks at a temperature of 3°C (37°F). This extended period helps clarify the beer and develop further flavors.
Carbonation and Enjoyment:
- After the conditioning period, your Northern German Altbier is ready to be carbonated and enjoyed.
- Depending on your preference, you can carbonate the beer naturally by priming with sugar or force-carbonate it using a kegging system.
- Bottle the beer or pour it into pints, and allow it to carbonate for a couple of weeks if using the natural priming method.
- Finally, chill the beer to your desired serving temperature and savor the flavors of your homemade Northern German Altbier!
Get the fermentation temperature right on Northern German Altbier and most of the rest of the process takes care of itself.
What Makes Northern German Altbier the Style It Is
Like most classic beer styles, Northern German Altbier has a long, slightly tangled history behind it, shaped as much by regional brewing traditions as by any single inventor.
The character of this beer comes down to a beer that leans on pilsner malt and magnum 11%, and Wyeast 1007 German Ale is doing more of that work than the grain bill gets credit for.
Style Characteristics at a Glance
- ABV: 4.5-5.2%
- Bitterness: 25-40 IBU
- Color: 4-14 (pale gold to copper)
- Serving temp: 40-45F (4-7C)
- Glassware: a stange
- Food pairings: light appetizers, sausage, soft pretzels
Common Questions
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes, the grain bill and hop schedule scale linearly with batch size. Just make sure your equipment, mash tun and boil kettle both, can actually handle the volume you are scaling to.
What is the biggest mistake homebrewers make with this style?
Rushing the schedule. Pulling a beer off yeast too early or skipping conditioning time is the most common way to shortchange a recipe like this one.
Can I substitute a different yeast strain?
You can, but expect the flavor profile to shift. Stick close to the same yeast family (English ale, American ale, Belgian, lager, etc.) if you want a result close to what this recipe is aiming for.
Keep Exploring
Once you have this one down, here are a few more homebrew recipes worth trying next:
Browse the full homebrew recipe collection for more styles, or if you are just getting into the hobby, start with one of our homebrewing starter kits for new brewers.
This recipe is for adults of legal drinking age. Please brew and drink responsibly, and always sanitize your equipment thoroughly to avoid infection.
