TRUEBRÜ Düsseldorf Alt | All Grain Beer Kit | 6 Gal
TRUEBRÜ Düsseldorf Alt is one of our favorite beers to brew—and, in our opinion, one of the most underrated styles out there. It is hard to find a great traditional Altbier close to home; a trip to Düsseldorf is still the best way to experience the style at its source. This kit brings that experience to your own brewery.
Inspired by gold-medal-winning Altbier recipes, this version builds a rich, layered malt profile from Pilsen, Munich I, Munich II and aromatic malt. A restrained amount of Caramunich II adds depth, while a small addition of Carafa Special III brings the beer to a beautiful copper color. Magnum provides balanced bitterness, and Tettnang adds a delicate spicy, floral hop character. Expect bread crust, toasted malt and a clean, dry finish that keeps you reaching for another sip.
An Ale with the Patience of a Lager
Altbier is a traditional Düsseldorf specialty: a top-fermented ale that benefits from cold conditioning. Often described as a hybrid beer, it uses Alt yeast at slightly cooler ale temperatures, followed by a proper cold lagering period for a smooth, crisp finish.
One month of cold lagering is ideal. Your patience here will pay off—we promise. Give the yeast time to finish fermentation before cooling. That extra conditioning time helps the beer settle, clear and develop the polished character that makes this style so special.
Recipe Targets — BJCP 7B Altbier
- 6 gallons into the fermenter; approximately 5 gallons finished
- Original Gravity: 1.051
- Final Gravity: 1.013
- ABV: approximately 5.0%
- IBU: approximately 32
- Color: 12 SRM
- Carbonation: 2.5 volumes CO₂
- Designed around 68% brewhouse efficiency
The recipe is designed to land within BJCP 7B Altbier guidelines at 68% brewhouse efficiency, with some room for modest variation in either direction. Because the target gravity is near the upper end of the style range, brewers with higher efficiency should check their expected gravity and adjust their recipe or volume as needed to stay within style.
Mash and Fermentation
- Mash at 150°F for 80 minutes
- Boil for 60 minutes
- Mash water: 4.96 gallons
- Sparge water: 3.76 gallons
- Total brewing water: 8.72 gallons, based on the recipe's equipment profile
- Ferment at 62°F for 5 days, then 65°F for about 14 days, following the supplied recipe
- After fermentation is complete and gravity is stable, cold lager for approximately one month
Adjust water volumes to your system's grain absorption, boil-off and transfer losses. Fermentation timing is a guide; confirm stable final gravity before cooling or packaging.
Kit Includes
- 12.13 lb freshly measured grain bill
- 3 sealed 1 oz hop packages: 1 Magnum and 2 Tettnang
- Complete recipe card with grain bill, hop schedule, water profile, fermentation guidance and style targets
Use 0.5 oz Magnum at 60 minutes, 1 oz Tettnang at 20 minutes and 1 oz Tettnang at 10 minutes. Approximately 0.5 oz Magnum remains after brewing; we keep the hop packs sealed rather than opening and repackaging them.
YEAST IS NOT INCLUDED AND IS SOLD SEPARATELY.
Our strongly recommended yeast: Omega OYL-001 Alt. For the authentic character we want from this beer, a dedicated Alt strain is essentially a necessity in our view. This is the yeast the recipe was built around, and it is our first choice for the kit.
Dry fallback: SafAle K-97 German Ale can be used when liquid Alt yeast is unavailable, but it is a compromise rather than an identical substitute. Fermentation character, attenuation and clearing may differ. Follow the yeast manufacturer's current handling and temperature guidance for the strain you choose.
Water salts are not included. The recipe is built from reverse-osmosis water, with the target mineral profile and measured mash additions shown on the card.
Each kit is freshly assembled and packaged to order by TrueBrü Homebrew Supply. Because this kit contains grain, our normal grain preparation selection appears in the cart so you can choose how you want it prepared before checkout.