German Spalt

[Jeff...]

I have a lb of German Spalt 3.8% Alpha to play around with. I've never brewed with them before, any recipe ideas?

 

[BigEd]

I love Spalt hops. You can sub them for any traditional German-style flavor/aroma hop. Kolsch is excellent and probably my favorite with Spalt but pils, Munich Dunkel, Schwarzbier, Helles, Dortmunder, American lagers, Festbier, Bocks, Altbier, and others would all work.

 

[Jeff...]

I love Spalt hops. You can sub them for any traditional German-style flavor/aroma hop. Kolsch is excellent and probably my favorite with Spalt but pils, Munich Dunkel, Schwarzbier, Helles, Dortmunder, American lagers, Festbier, Bocks, Altbier, and others would all work.

Spalt is one of the 4 noble hops, I've not tried. So thanks, great to know I can sub for all those delicious styles. Thanks again for the reply

 

[brownni5]

Do you recall where you got them? I've been looking for them and can't find them in the usual online stores. I'd really like to do a spalt Saison.

 

[Jeff...]

Do you recall where you got them? I've been looking for them and can't find them in the usual online stores. I'd really like to do a spalt Saison.

I got the pound from my friend at my LHBS. He special ordered them for some guy and he tried to contact him several times but couldn't get ahold of him. So he asked me if I wanted them for $5.00. I said sure why not, even though I never brewed with them before.I figured German Spalt is one of the 4 German nobble hops, so they can't be all that bad they are cone hops too, I think I scored!

 

[Jayjay1976]

I got the pound from my friend at my LHBS. He special ordered them for some guy and he tried to contact him several times but couldn't get ahold of him. So he asked me if I wanted them for $5.00. I said sure why not, even though I never brewed with them before.I figured German Spalt is one of the 4 German nobble hops, so they can't be all that bad the are cone hops too, I think I scored!

Helluva deal! If I had those, I'd brew a Kölsch and keg it on a handful of those cones. I love whole hops, especially noble strains.

 

[Brooothru]

I love Spalt hops. You can sub them for any traditional German-style flavor/aroma hop. Kolsch is excellent and probably my favorite with Spalt but pils, Munich Dunkel, Schwarzbier, Helles, Dortmunder, American lagers, Festbier, Bocks, Altbier, and others would all work.

I'll second those recommendations. Anything German will work, especially Pils, or most especially a Dusseldorf Alt. I spent many an afternoon in Alt Stadt in Dusseldorf enjoying an altbier, or in Frankfurt at the Basler Ek enjoying a fine pils and a schweinhauxe. Whenever I get sentimental reminiscing about that era in my past, I brew up something to remind me of those wonderful times. Right now there's a marvelous pils lagering in the beer fridge. Nothing but Weyermann Pilsner hopped with Spalt and Hallertau Mittlefruh.

I miss those days so much.....

Brooo Brother

 

[Jeff...]

I'll second those recommendations. Anything German will work, especially Pils, or most especially a Dusseldorf Alt. I spent many an afternoon in Alt Stadt in Dusseldorf enjoying an altbier, or in Frankfurt at the Basler Ek enjoying a fine pils and a schweinhauxe. Whenever I get sentimental reminiscing about that era in my past, I brew up something to remind me of those wonderful times. Right now there's a marvelous pils lagering in the beer fridge. Nothing but Weyermann Pilsner hopped with Spalt and Hallertau Mittlefruh.

I miss those days so much.....

Brooo Brother

I have a German Pilsner (best malts) / S-189 / Saaz hoped, I've had in lager @35F for 6 weeks, that hasn't dropped clear. I added gelatin and put it on gas this afternoon. It tasted wonderful but I'm looking forward to it to being clear and carbonated. I debated with myself over using Weyermann.

I appreciate your reply. Your pilsner sounds amazing and now I know Spalt works well in a pilsner.

 

[Brooothru]

I have a German Pilsner (best malts) / S-189 / Saaz hoped, I've had in lager @35F for 6 weeks, that hasn't dropped clear. I added gelatin and put it on gas this afternoon. It tasted wonderful but I'm looking forward to it to being clear and carbonated. I debated with myself over using Weyermann.

I appreciate your reply. Your pilsner sounds amazing and now I know Spalt works well in a pilsner.

What yeast are you using? I have very good luck with WLP-830 German Lager yeast. It's listed as a Medium flocculator, but I'm currently drinking a Pre-Prohibition lager that was pitched January 4, 2020, and the clarity has been "brilliant" for at least the last two weeks. The yeast in the Pre-Pro was second generation, and the 3rd. generation is what's in the Pils now lagering. I've got a vial of WLP-838 Munich Helles fresh from the White Labs "vault" that is a Medium to High flocculator that's in the rotation for a future brew (Helles). Gelatin usually works well to rapidly clear beer without the need for extended lagering or cold conditioning, so I'm not sure why your beer hasn't cleared after 6 weeks. Seems like it should have a long time ago.

For lagers I try to pitch 1600ml to 2000ml of active yeast starter right off the stir plate at high krausen. Strong fermentation takes off quickly, even at 48-50F, and almost always finishes in well under two weeks. Crash, pressure transfer to a keg, lager 3-4 weeks. Usually comes out CAFB (aviator talk for, "Clear as a Fricken' Bell"). I'm not sure that Weyermann is any better for clearing than North American grains like Breiss of Rahr, but I like the authenticity when brewing German beers. And the German noble hops like Hallertau and Spalt are fantastic. I'd choose them over their noble brother Saaz any day of the week for Continental lagers.

Prost!

Brooo Brother

 

[Jayjay1976]

What yeast are you using? I have very good luck with WLP-830 German Lager yeast. It's listed as a Medium flocculator, but I'm currently drinking a Pre-Prohibition lager that was pitched January 4, 2020, and the clarity has been "brilliant" for at least the last two weeks. The yeast in the Pre-Pro was second generation, and the 3rd. generation is what's in the Pils now lagering. I've got a vial of WLP-838 Munich Helles fresh from the White Labs "vault" that is a Medium to High flocculator that's in the rotation for a future brew (Helles). Gelatin usually works well to rapidly clear beer without the need for extended lagering or cold conditioning, so I'm not sure why your beer hasn't cleared after 6 weeks. Seems like it should have a long time ago.

For lagers I try to pitch 1600ml to 2000ml of active yeast starter right off the stir plate at high krausen. Strong fermentation takes off quickly, even at 48-50F, and almost always finishes in well under two weeks. Crash, pressure transfer to a keg, lager 3-4 weeks. Usually comes out CAFB (aviator talk for, "Clear as a Fricken' Bell"). I'm not sure that Weyermann is any better for clearing than North American grains like Breiss of Rahr, but I like the authenticity when brewing German beers. And the German noble hops like Hallertau and Spalt are fantastic. I'd choose them over their noble brother Saaz any day of the week for Continental lagers.

Prost!

Brooo Brother

Hey @Brooothru you've piqued my curiosity. Is that lager recipe somewhere online?

 

[monkeymath]

As others have said, it works in basically any German beer. But imho it really shines in the darker ones, like a Munich Dunkel, for example. Just don't overdo it: a touch of it with 15 minutes in the boil adds a bit of a twist to an otherwise malty beer, but don't nuke it with tons of whirlpool hops.

 

[Jeff...]

What yeast are you using? I have very good luck with WLP-830 German Lager yeast. It's listed as a Medium flocculator, but I'm currently drinking a Pre-Prohibition lager that was pitched January 4, 2020, and the clarity has been "brilliant" for at least the last two weeks. The yeast in the Pre-Pro was second generation, and the 3rd. generation is what's in the Pils now lagering. I've got a vial of WLP-838 Munich Helles fresh from the White Labs "vault" that is a Medium to High flocculator that's in the rotation for a future brew (Helles). Gelatin usually works well to rapidly clear beer without the need for extended lagering or cold conditioning, so I'm not sure why your beer hasn't cleared after 6 weeks. Seems like it should have a long time ago.

For lagers I try to pitch 1600ml to 2000ml of active yeast starter right off the stir plate at high krausen. Strong fermentation takes off quickly, even at 48-50F, and almost always finishes in well under two weeks. Crash, pressure transfer to a keg, lager 3-4 weeks. Usually comes out CAFB (aviator talk for, "Clear as a Fricken' Bell"). I'm not sure that Weyermann is any better for clearing than North American grains like Breiss of Rahr, but I like the authenticity when brewing German beers. And the German noble hops like Hallertau and Spalt are fantastic. I'd choose them over their noble brother Saaz any day of the week for Continental lagers.

Prost!

Brooo Brother

Yeast is Fermentis Saflager S-189, "Highly flocculant, this yeast falls out of suspension easy resulting in brilliantly clear beer." But that's not what I experienced.

I also mashed at 148F for a lower calories, one of my son's is weight lifter and asked for a low cal pilsner.

You also peaked my interest... Is your Pilsner recipe on-line?

 

[Brooothru]

Hey @Brooothru you've piqued my curiosity. Is that lager recipe somewhere online?

Sure thing! Not clear as to whether you wanted the Pre-Prohibition or the Pils, so I've included both. They are similar recipes I compiled, modified and brewed several times each over the years. The Pils is just about as close as I've gotten to the one I used to quaff in Frankfurt at the Basler Eck restaurant (if my German is anywhere close to correct, it means "at the end of Basler Strasse", or in my case, "end of the road"), so I call it "Basler Eck." Due to a shortage of Weyermann German Pilsener, I subbed some German 2-row and a pinch more Munich than normal so the color came out just a shade darker, though the samples have tasted really great. I've also used Saaz in place of some of the Spalt when I can't find enough, but I prefer Spalt (either Spalter Spalt or Spalt Select).

The Pre-Prohibition lager is also a favorite of mine where I tried to capture the heritage of the immigrant brewers who brought their techniques and rudimentary ingredients to the Americas, and adjusted them to the grains and hops (and water) available to them in this country. I'd like to think I succeeded. After having brewed this recipe for more than 15 years it took top honors (Best in Show) out of nearly 400 entries in a local BJCP sanctioned competition. The area where we live is an historic German-American settlement with a strong brewing tradition dating back well before the Revolutionary War.

I named it after a local meme, "Clustered Spires". After I'd lagered this particular batch, there seemed to be something missing. We'd just returned from a trip to the wine and hops region of Washington State where I'd picked up several ounces of YCH "Cluster Fugget" hops blend and wasn't sure exactly how I was going to use them. Since I was left 'underwhelmed' with my Pre-Pro and wasn't going to enter it in the comp, I decided to chuck an ounce into the keg just to see what it would do, seeing as Cluster had been one of the hops in the original formulation years before. Somewhere between the Cluster, the Fuggles and the Nugget, beer nirvana was attained (AKA, 'beervana'). On a whim I entered it and it won, beating out all the NEIPAs, sours, 'first attempts' and assorted hop bombs. Redemption for years of effort.

Anyway, enough background. You want to BREW some BEER! Feel free to borrow, steal, plagiarize anything that looks worthy of the effort to replicate or improve upon. Enjoy!

"Clustered Spires"

5.6 gallon
OG 1.054
FG 1.007
IBUs ~ 38
SRM ~ 4.5
ABV - 5.7%

5# Maris Otter (Fawcett, 3.8 SRM)
5# Rahr 6-row. (2.3 SRM)
1# flaked corn (0.8 SRM)
0.5# CaraPils (1.5 SRM)

Water profile from Brewer’s Friend for Light and Malty

Mash in @ 104F/40C
Step @ 113F/45C for :15 minutes – beta glucan rest
Step @ 145F/63C for :45 minutes – beta amylase
Step @ 162F/72C for :30 minutes – alpha amylase

Mash out @ 169F/76C for :15 minutes

1.00 oz Crystal (FWH, 5.7% AA)
2.00 oz Crystal (5.7%AA, :10 minute boil)
1.00 oz Spalt Spalter (3.2% AA, :05 minute boil)
1.00 oz Crystal (5.7% AA, whirlpool :20 mins @ 180F)
1.00 oz German Tradition (6.0% AA, whirlpool :20 mins @ 180F)
1.00 oz YCH Cluster Fugget (8.1% AA, dry hop 5 days before cold crash)

Pitch 1600 ml ‘partially decanted’ WLP-830 German Lager yeast starter

Ferment @ 50F/10C for 10-14 days until SG is approx. 5 pts. above FG
Increase +2C per day until reaching 70F/21C (about 5 days)
Decrease -2C per day until reaching 38F/3C (about 9 days)

Lager @ 38F/3C for 3-4 weeks


"Basler Eck"

5.6 gallons
OG 1.045
FG 1.009
IBUs ~ 29.6
SRM ~ 4.4
ABV - 4.7



5# Weyermann German Pilsener (1.6 SRM)*
3# Weyermann Pale Malt (3.5 SRM)*
1.25# Weyermann Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)*
0.5# Carafoam 2.0 SRM)

*Note: I had to sub three pounds of pilsener with pale malt. Normally it would be 8# Pilsener and ‘enough’ Munich for the proper color and OG for style.


Water profile from Brewer’s Friend for Light and Malty

Mash in @ 104F/40C
Step @ 113F/45C for :15 minutes – beta glucan rest
Step @ 145F/63C for :45 minutes – beta amylase
Step @ 162F/72C for :30 minutes – alpha amylase
Mash out @ 169F/76C for :15 minutes

1.00 oz Spalt Select (FWH, 4.2% AA)
1.00 oz Tettnang (2.7% AA, :30 mins)
0.50 oz Hallertau Mittlefruh (3.8% AA, :05 mins)
0.50 oz Spalt Select (2.7 AA, :05 mins)
0.50 oz Hallertau Mittlefruh (3.8% AA, whirlpool :20 mins @ 180F)
0.50 oz Spalt Select (2.7 AA, :20 mins whirlpool @ 180F)

Pitch 1600 ml ‘partially decanted’ WLP-830 German Lager yeast starter

Ferment @ 50F/10C for 10-14 days until SG is approx. 5 pts. above FG
Increase +2C per day until reaching 70F/21C (about 5 days)
Decrease -2C per day until reaching 38F/3C (about 9 days)
Lager @ 38F/3C for 3-4 weeks

 

[Jeff...]

Sure thing! Not clear as to whether you wanted the Pre-Prohibition or the Pils, so I've included both. They are similar recipes I compiled, modified and brewed several times each over the years. The Pils is just about as close as I've gotten to the one I used to quaff in Frankfurt at the Basler Eck restaurant (if my German is anywhere close to correct, it means "at the end of Basler Strasse", or in my case, "end of the road"), so I call it "Basler Eck." Due to a shortage of Weyermann German Pilsener, I subbed some German 2-row and a pinch more Munich than normal so the color came out just a shade darker, though the samples have tasted really great. I've also used Saaz in place of some of the Spalt when I can't find enough, but I prefer Spalt (either Spalter Spalt or Spalt Select).

The Pre-Prohibition lager is also a favorite of mine where I tried to capture the heritage of the immigrant brewers who brought their techniques and rudimentary ingredients to the Americas, and adjusted them to the grains and hops (and water) available to them in this country. I'd like to think I succeeded. After having brewed this recipe for more than 15 years it took top honors (Best in Show) out of nearly 400 entries in a local BJCP sanctioned competition. The area where we live is an historic German-American settlement with a strong brewing tradition dating back well before the Revolutionary War.

I named it after a local meme, "Clustered Spires". After I'd lagered this particular batch, there seemed to be something missing. We'd just returned from a trip to the wine and hops region of Washington State where I'd picked up several ounces of YCH "Cluster Fugget" hops blend and wasn't sure exactly how I was going to use them. Since I was left 'underwhelmed' with my Pre-Pro and wasn't going to enter it in the comp, I decided to chuck an ounce into the keg just to see what it would do, seeing as Cluster had been one of the hops in the original formulation years before. Somewhere between the Cluster, the Fuggles and the Nugget, beer nirvana was attained (AKA, 'beervana'). On a whim I entered it and it won, beating out all the NEIPAs, sours, 'first attempts' and assorted hop bombs. Redemption for years of effort.

Anyway, enough background. You want to BREW some BEER! Feel free to borrow, steal, plagiarize anything that looks worthy of the effort to replicate or improve upon. Enjoy!

"Clustered Spires"

5.6 gallon
OG 1.054
FG 1.007
IBUs ~ 38
SRM ~ 4.5
ABV - 5.7%

5# Maris Otter (Fawcett, 3.8 SRM)
5# Rahr 6-row. (2.3 SRM)
1# flaked corn (0.8 SRM)
0.5# CaraPils (1.5 SRM)

Water profile from Brewer’s Friend for Light and Malty

Mash in @ 104F/40C
Step @ 113F/45C for :15 minutes – beta glucan rest
Step @ 145F/63C for :45 minutes – beta amylase
Step @ 162F/72C for :30 minutes – alpha amylase

Mash out @ 169F/76C for :15 minutes

1.00 oz Crystal (FWH, 5.7% AA)
2.00 oz Crystal (5.7%AA, :10 minute boil)
1.00 oz Spalt Spalter (3.2% AA, :05 minute boil)
1.00 oz Crystal (5.7% AA, whirlpool :20 mins @ 180F)
1.00 oz German Tradition (6.0% AA, whirlpool :20 mins @ 180F)
1.00 oz YCH Cluster Fugget (8.1% AA, dry hop 5 days before cold crash)

Pitch 1600 ml ‘partially decanted’ WLP-830 German Lager yeast starter

Ferment @ 50F/10C for 10-14 days until SG is approx. 5 pts. above FG
Increase +2C per day until reaching 70F/21C (about 5 days)
Decrease -2C per day until reaching 38F/3C (about 9 days)

Lager @ 38F/3C for 3-4 weeks


"Basler Eck"

5.6 gallons
OG 1.045
FG 1.009
IBUs ~ 29.6
SRM ~ 4.4
ABV - 4.7



5# Weyermann German Pilsener (1.6 SRM)*
3# Weyermann Pale Malt (3.5 SRM)*
1.25# Weyermann Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)*
0.5# Carafoam 2.0 SRM)

*Note: I had to sub three pounds of pilsener with pale malt. Normally it would be 8# Pilsener and ‘enough’ Munich for the proper color and OG for style.


Water profile from Brewer’s Friend for Light and Malty

Mash in @ 104F/40C
Step @ 113F/45C for :15 minutes – beta glucan rest
Step @ 145F/63C for :45 minutes – beta amylase
Step @ 162F/72C for :30 minutes – alpha amylase
Mash out @ 169F/76C for :15 minutes

1.00 oz Spalt Select (FWH, 4.2% AA)
1.00 oz Tettnang (2.7% AA, :30 mins)
0.50 oz Hallertau Mittlefruh (3.8% AA, :05 mins)
0.50 oz Spalt Select (2.7 AA, :05 mins)
0.50 oz Hallertau Mittlefruh (3.8% AA, whirlpool :20 mins @ 180F)
0.50 oz Spalt Select (2.7 AA, :20 mins whirlpool @ 180F)

Pitch 1600 ml ‘partially decanted’ WLP-830 German Lager yeast starter

Ferment @ 50F/10C for 10-14 days until SG is approx. 5 pts. above FG
Increase +2C per day until reaching 70F/21C (about 5 days)
Decrease -2C per day until reaching 38F/3C (about 9 days)
Lager @ 38F/3C for 3-4 weeks

My Lord both sound like totally awesome brews. Way over my skill level though. I have a cooler HLT/MLT, so the ability to step mash is difficult at best. Maybe I might tackle these recipes when I grow up.

I'm just happy my pilsner dropped clear

Thanks for posting

 

[Jayjay1976]

My Lord both sound like totally awesome brews. Way over my skill level though. I have a cooler HLT/MLT, so the ability to step mash is difficult at best. Maybe I might tackle these recipes when I grow up.

I'm just happy my pilsner dropped clear
View attachment 675556

Thanks for posting

That's much clearer than anything I've ever brewed, I'd be thrilled to show that off to my brewing buddies, nice job!

Oh hey, also, you can still brew those recipes just skip the stepped mash and you'll get just about the same beer.

Edit: I ain't saying stepped mashes aren't worth doing (I do them myself when I have the time), just that the beer will still turn out really good with a single infusion mash.

 

[Jeff...]

That's much clearer than anything I've ever brewed, I'd be thrilled to show that off to my brewing buddies, nice job!

Oh hey, also, you can still brew those recipes just skip the stepped mash and you'll get just about the same beer.

Edit: I ain't saying stepped mashes aren't worth doing (I do them myself when I have the time), just that the beer will still turn out really good with a single infusion mash.

Thanks Bro, I am really pleased with the clarity. I've tried gelatin before but only had limited success.

This time I tried something new... I added 1 teaspoon of gelatin in 8 ounces of water. I heated it slowly until it stirred clear (about 130F degrees. Then I added 1 teaspoon of sparkolloid and slowly heated to 150 and held it there for a couple of minutes best I could.

I then added the 150F water / gelatin / sparkolloid mixture into a cold crashed corny and gently stirred it in with my clean and sanitized 24" stainless spoon. After recapping, It didn't take 24 hours and the beer dropped clear as a bell. I blew out about 1 1/2 pints of nasty beer from the bottom of the corny. But the result is what you see in the glass.

I think the one two punch (gelatin / sparkolloid) worked pretty well. I also make wine and use sparkolloid as a fining. I don't know why I didn't read it the bag label before but it says for wine & beer - duh...

 

[Jeff...]

That's much clearer than anything I've ever brewed, I'd be thrilled to show that off to my brewing buddies, nice job!

Oh hey, also, you can still brew those recipes just skip the stepped mash and you'll get just about the same beer.

Edit: I ain't saying stepped mashes aren't worth doing (I do them myself when I have the time), just that the beer will still turn out really good with a single infusion mash.

I do have two kettles a 5 gallon from my old extract days and a 20 gallon. I believe I could step mash but it would be a lot of calculations because I would have to drain the wort off the grist, heat it for the next step and add it back into the MLT. Just seems like a lot of work and a nasty beer in the making to me. I'm sure I would hose it up. Eventually I will get a stainless MLT that I could do a proper step mash in but like I said maybe when I grow up. It'll most likely be something homemade based on a keg, with a heating element and a recirculation pump. I've only thought about it a little bit though.

 

[Brooothru]

That's much clearer than anything I've ever brewed, I'd be thrilled to show that off to my brewing buddies, nice job!

Oh hey, also, you can still brew those recipes just skip the stepped mash and you'll get just about the same beer.

Edit: I ain't saying stepped mashes aren't worth doing (I do them myself when I have the time), just that the beer will still turn out really good with a single infusion mash.

Absolutely. For a single step mash I'd say something like 152F-156F for 60 minutes. Ferment 50F-55F which is the sweet spot for WLP-830. Then just let the temperature 'free-rise' up to 65-70F for diacetyl reduction. Keg it, crash it, lager it for a month. Then enjoy.

BTW, sweet lookin' beer in the picture. That brew dropped really clear. Nice job!

Brooo Brother

 

[Brooothru]

Thanks Bro, I am really pleased with the clarity. I've tried gelatin before but only had limited success.

This time I tried something new... I added 1 teaspoon of gelatin in 8 ounces of water. I heated it slowly until it stirred clear (about 130F degrees. Then I added 1 teaspoon of sparkolloid and slowly heated to 150 and held it there for a couple of minutes best I could.

I then added the 150F water / gelatin / sparkolloid mixture into a cold crashed corny and gently stirred it in with my clean and sanitized 24" stainless spoon. After recapping, It didn't take 24 hours and the beer dropped clear as a bell. I blew out about 1 1/2 pints of nasty beer from the bottom of the corny. But the result is what you see in the glass.

I think the one two punch (gelatin / sparkolloid) worked pretty well. I also make wine and use sparkolloid as a fining. I don't know why I didn't read it the bag label before but it says for wine & beer - duh...

Gelatin works well with 'problem' brews that just don't want to clear. A few brew sessions ago I started using BrewTan B in both the mash as well as late boil. I couldn't believe how much hot break came out during the early boil and how clear the wort was after whirlpool. It's a little hard to find, but that stuff is pretty amazing. Worth a try if you're a fan of clear beer.

Brew Brother

 

[Jayjay1976]

Gelatin works well with 'problem' brews that just don't want to clear. A few brew sessions ago I started using BrewTan B in both the mash as well as late boil. I couldn't believe how much hot break came out during the early boil and how clear the wort was after whirlpool. It's a little hard to find, but that stuff is pretty amazing. Worth a try if you're a fan of clear beer.

Brew Brother

I'm going to order some right now, thanks for the info @Brooothru !