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I believe this is no where's near style IMO, but not a judge to distinguish. Different beer to say the least, Spicy Rye character /w a descent bitterness followed by a caramel finish. I think the caramel is due to my large amounts of Caramunich, Munich and Vienna in this beer consisting of 50% of the grain build. My buddy who likes malty beers absolutely loved this beer, personally I can drink it, but not in love.

Recipe: Sticke Altbier
Brewer: Keith Forbes
Style: Düsseldorf Altbier
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
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Boil Size: 59.08 l
Post Boil Volume: 49.09 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 44.00 l
Bottling Volume: 38.00 l
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 12.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 52.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 77.2 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
66.42 l Altbier, Cali Common, ESB, Irish Red, Am Water 1 -
13.14 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
8.14 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 3 -
7.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 4 -
7 lbs Bohemian Pilsner (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 30.6 %
4 lbs Munich Malt (Type I) (9.0 SRM) Grain 6 17.5 %
4 lbs Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 7 17.5 %
4 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 8 17.5 %
3 lbs 8.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 9 15.3 %
6.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 10 1.6 %
1.00 oz Warrior [17.00 %] - First Wort 90.0 min Hop 11 33.4 IBUs
4.00 oz Saaz [3.60 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 12 14.6 IBUs
4.00 oz Saaz [3.60 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 13 4.8 IBUs
2.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 14 -


Mash Schedule: BIAB, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 22 lbs 14.0 oz
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 66.42 l of water at 154.8 F 148.0 F 90 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
Notes:
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I think a Sticke Alt is bigger and hoppier than your recipe description ... but can't wait!

yea it's not super hoppy. Get the Spicyness from the Saaz and Rye kind of blend.

Winner winner chicken dinner! A little grainy, but super tasty. Gives me confidence to use S-05 for my next altbier. Cheers keith!

It's my first altbier other than a fest, how would you say it holds up to style.

Festa*

Huge sweet caramel aroma with flavour to match. I'm not smelling a lot of hops, but there's some in the flavour, sort of a minty/herbal thing. I like the deep amber colour. I'm not sure how close it is to an altbier, but good.

amartin wrote:Huge sweet caramel aroma with flavour to match. I'm not smelling a lot of hops, but there's some in the flavour, sort of a minty/herbal thing. I like the deep amber colour. I'm not sure how close it is to an altbier, but good.

I didn't get much caramel off the aroma but I was a bit stuffed up last night. I also don't know from Altbier, so I can't help with the question as to whether it's to style.

I will say I felt like this was probably the spiciest of the beers so far, which is probably owing to the combination of rye with the noble hop variety. And if nothing else, this exchange is teaching me that I like that spiciness. Thanks Keith.

Haha fuck. I dunno what I presented.

Having this one now. Nice form bitterness to back up the malt profile. Drinks as a very dry beer which is a bit of a surprise with all the caramunich. Nice rye spice to it as well. Nice beer Keith


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I got the sweet malt aroma too. Warm, velvety malt on the tongue with a balanced bitter finish. Dry and refreshing. Nice big head.

My first Altbier, but not my last. I would definately like to make this myself. Great recipe!

Lovely malty, but balanced beer

For those of you that drank this, what style would you say it best represents? I don't think it's an altbier. But only had a couple in my time.

Keith, it had all the altbier characteristics of every (albeit few) alts that I've had or brewed, but everything about it was bigger. I'm thinking you might get away with labeling this a Sticke.

Dry finish with fragrant forward caramel and bready maltiness. Apparant rye spice with lingering bitterness. Great variation of the style, opened my eyes to it. I may have to experiment with this one in the future myself.

Thanks Keith.

Hey Keith. I don't know if you were thinking in competition terms when you posed that question, but just read that the current bjcp guidelines says: " . Both Sticke alt and Münster alt should be entered in the specialty category."

Thanks for pointing that out.
Definitely based on the notes it would be 23a, but would of been 23A due to the Rye addition. Just wasn't sure if it maybe fell into another category.

Appreciate it.

Nice beer, well fermented, nice dry finish. I like the balance between the hop character and the bitterness. The sweet caramel (edit* and raisin) malt character is a bit much for me though. If you add a bit of chocolate malt character, you'd probably fit in well with the American Brown Ale section (10C 2008, or 19C 2014 BJCP guidelines).

I acquired a bottle of this today from the man himself. He crawled out of his tunnel in the snow. Sackville has double anywhere else I've seen. It was incredible.

You made a very nice beer Keith. Really enjoying it. Thanks.



ps. Kathleen says "that is a lovely little beer, give Keith my congrats, regards, whatever is appropriate."

Not bad for a beer with 30% Pilsner rest other grains.

Keith wrote:Not bad for a beer with 30% Pilsner rest other grains.

THOSE DAMN CRYSTAL MALTS!

Haha.

I was going to say, the beer almost changed my mind on crystals, but still not sure if I would go that far. Don't tell anyone but my Working Man has some C30 in it No one picked up on that.

GuingesRock wrote:I was going to say, the beer almost changed my mind on crystals, but still not sure if I would go that far. Don't tell anyone but my Working Man has some C30 in it No one picked up on that.

Actually, I should say no one online. Keely picked up on that right away when I first made it and she was drinking a glass of it. It's subtle in there though.