a german pale ale, "Alt" means "old", hence the "old way" of making beer...before refrigeration or yeast isolation, this ale was a summer brew made in northern Germany, at least it was made before Bavaria outlawed beer brewing during the summer months throughout Germany. Being from a warmer clime, the Bavarians encountered off-flavors in their summer beers due to wild bacteria present in the air, but didn't know why. The cooler climes in the the north allowed brewers to make a clean tasting ale, and the style survived, even after the advancements of yeast isolation and refrigeration allowed the production of the cleaner, crisper lager style beer.

All-Grain Recipe:

5 gallon batch made by Infusion Mash technique.

O.G. = 1.045, F.G. = 1.010, ABV% = 4.66, German Ale Yeast CL-400 (0.5L starter), IBUs = 35

Hops:

1. Tettnanger, 5.8% AA, 1 oz. whole plug, 60 min.
2. Tettnanger, 5.8% AA, 1 oz. whole plug, 40 min.
3. Saaz, 5.4% AA, 1 oz. whole plug, 20 min.
4. Saaz, 5.4% AA, 1 oz. whole plug, 0-2 min.

1. Weyerman's Pilsner Malt, 8 lbs
2. Munich 90L, 3/4 lbs
3. Vienna Crystal Malt, 1/4 lbs
4. Chocolate Malt, 1 oz.