Amber Hybrid Beers (BJCP Category 7)
Unlike the Light Hybrid category, the Amber Hybrid Category covers three classic beer styles: two German and one American. Oddly enough,
however, it puts the American style between the two Germans!
Altbiers (BJCP Categories 7A, 7C and 23)
History/Comments: These two styles of beer are closely related,
differing only in malt character and hopping rates. They are broadly
reflective of German brewing traditions before lager beer became the norm,
although modern versions of Düsseldorf Alt can only be dated to Mid-19th
century.
Northern German Alt is a designation first made by Michael Jackson
in his World Guide to Beer and subsequently adopted by the BJCP. No
other set of style guidelines uses it. Commercial style descriptions make no
distinction between Northern German and Düsseldorf Alt styles, and just
refer to the style as “Alt.”
Altbier is typically made using low-temperature fermentation ale
yeasts (60-65°F) and is then conditioned at standard lagering temperatures
for 4-6 weeks to give cleaner, smoother flavors. Northern German Alts tend
to be moderately bitter brown lagers, darker in color and a bit sweet.
Düsseldorf Alts are hoppier, lighter in color and a bit drier. Authentic
examples, hard to find in the U.S. can be tilted towards the hops.
Düsseldorf Alt is distinctly associated with the German city of the
same name, located in Southwestern Germany on the Rhine River. Despite
their proximity (Düsseldorf is just down the river from Köln) Altbier is similar
to Kölsch only in that it is fermented using ale yeast. The two cities have a
centuries-old rivalry; don't ask for Altbier in Köln (or vice-versa)! Despite
this, the Düsseldorf drinking traditions are very similar to those found in
Köln. The best examples of Düsseldorf Alt can be found in brewpubs in the
Altstadt (“old town”), where it is served in narrow, cylindrical glasses
(although these can be larger than the 200 ml Stange used to serve Kölsch.
In addition to Northern German Alt and Düsseldorf Alt, which are
recognized by the BJCP there are three further variants of Altbier. The
Düsseldorf brewers create a seasonal variant of their Alt called Sticke Alt
("secret Alt”) or Geheimbier (“secret beer”). Regardless of the name, these
beers are slightly stronger, hoppier, darker, richer and more complex than a
regular alt. Sticke is hoppier (up to 60 IBU), usually dry-hopped and is
lagered for a longer period.
Some brewers also produce a Doppelsticke (also called Export
Sticke) for export to the U.S. market which is even stronger than regular
Sticke.
Münster Alt (exemplified by Pinkus Alt) typically has lower O.G. and
ABV, is lighter in color, has a slight sourness and can contain up to 40%
wheat. It is the truest “old-style” beer - a holdover from days when Northern
Germany had dozens of locally-produced sour wheat beers. Like
Berlinerweisse, Gose, Grätzer/Grodiszke, Lichtenheimer Alt or Broyhan Alt,
these very rare or extinct products.
Sticke Alt, Doppelsticke and Münster Alt are treated as specialty
beers, but to make this session more fun, and because they are mentioned
in the style guidelines for Amber Hybrids, we will be sampling them along
with the beers which are actually in the Amber Hybrid category.
Brewing Altbiers: Northern German Alts are balanced or tilted
slightly to the malt or hops, with smooth malt character and touches of
roast, biscuit and/or caramel. Bittering is firm, but late hop character is
subdued. Some yeast character should be present - this isn’t a lager! Grain
bill should be German or Continental Pils malt, with some (8-10%) Munich
or Vienna malt. Specialty grains include amber or light roast continental or
German grains, such as CaraMunich or Pale Chocolate, to make up about
6-10% of the grist. German Ale yeast is essential to the style, fermented at
60 °F and then lagered at least 4 weeks to get proper character.
Dusseldorf Alt uses similar grist, but with up to 15% Munich malt, no
more than ~5% crystal malt and no dark crystal or light roast additions. Hop
bittering is higher, but hop flavor isn’t as high (~0.5 oz. noble hops for
flavor). There are no aroma hops.
Sticke and Doppelsticke versions of Altbiers add more of everything
(up to 60 IBU of bittering, mostly as a bittering charge) and can be dry
hopped.
Altbiers and Competition: Most judges aren’t particularly familiar
with the Altbier style, so don’t get too tricky with the ingredients. As long as
the beer isn’t overtly hoppy and/or alcoholic, you might be able to get away
with brewing the style a bit “bigger” than the guidelines allow. The key to
both Alt styles is balance and a relatively clean finish, although hop-heads
will appreciate the Düsseldorf style more. Astringency, excessive
sweetness or dominant yeast esters are killers for this style in competition.
Also, keep in mind that Northern German Alt is a somewhat
ambiguous and open-ended style. If you’re aiming for a Düsseldorf Alt and
don’t get the attenuation you wanted, or your Oktoberfest or Vienna comes
out a bit hoppy, dark, dry and estery for the style, you might just have a
good Northern German Alt.
California Common Beer (BJCP Category 7B)
History: California Common is an American original once known as
Steam Beer. It was developed during the California Gold Rush (1849-1855)
using German lager yeast adapted to the brewing conditions around the
San Francisco Bay area and the primitive brewing equipment available in
what was basically a frontier boom-town.
Large shallow open fermenters (coolships) were used to compensate
for the lack of ice to cool the fermentation tanks and to take advantage of
the cool ambient temperatures in the San Francisco Bay area. The original
German lager strains adapted to ferment at higher than normal
temperatures.
Originally, Steam Beer was very rough tasting and known for its high
carbonation levels. Due to the combination of ale-style open fermenters and
poorly-flocculating lager yeast, clarifiers were needed to “polish” the
fermented beer and constant skimming of the wort surface was necessary
to prevent contamination. The final product was only available on draft and
was often left to settle for several days before being shipped to customers.
The origin of the name “steam” is unknown. According to Anchor
Brewing, the name “steam” came from the fact that 19 th century Bay Area
breweries had no way to effectively chill the boiling wort using traditional
means, so they pumped the hot wort up to the large, shallow, open-top
coolships on the roof of the brewery so that it would be rapidly chilled by the
cool onshore breezes off the Pacific Ocean. Thus, as the wort cooled, the
brewery had a distinct cloud of steam above the roof.
According to brewing legend, steam beer got its name due to the
ferocious hiss of carbon dioxide vented when a keg was tapped, leading
customers to jokingly ask for a “glass of steam.” Presumably, the hiss was
also accompanied by a mist of gushing beer, further enhancing the
metaphor. Alternatively, in the mid-19th century, “steam brewery” or “steam
brewed” beer indicated beer produced in a state of the art steam-powered
facility.
I think that name comes from the last two origins. Imagine a 49’er
with an ironic sense of humor, familiar with good beer from an actual “steam
brewery” back East, confronted with an overpriced, foul-tasting mug of San
Francisco Gold-Rush era beer, mostly frothy head, fresh from an
overcarbonated keg that hissed, sprayed and gushed as it was tapped by
an inexperienced barkeeper. Steam beer, indeed!
Once common in American West, before Prohibition Steam Beer was
brewed as far inland as Colorado and Idaho. After Prohibition, the style
nearly vanished due to competition from light lagers until it was singlehandedly revived from extinction by Fritz Maytag. In 1972, Maytag, an heir
to an appliance-manufacturing fortune, sold his shares in the family
business in order to save his favorite brewery, Anchor Brewing of San
Francisco, from bankruptcy. After 10 years of effort and extensive
renovations, Maytag turned Anchor became one of the flagships of
American Craft Brewing renaissance with its newly trademarked “Anchor
Steam” beer as its signature product. Because of the Anchor trademark on
“Steam Beer,” brewers now refer to this style by the less evocative name of
“California Common.”
While historical steam beers varied in O.G., ABV and character (since
“steam beer” referred to a brewing technique rather than any particular
recipe), modern California Common is narrowly defined by Anchor Steam
Beer: an amber beer of moderate ABV, with slightly caramel malt flavor
backing up an assertive Northern Brewer hop flavor and aroma.
Brewing California Common: This beer is similar to an “old school”
American Pale Ale - moderately hoppy, amber color with a firm, grainy
maltiness, some toast and caramel sweetness to balance the hops. The
grist is American two-row pale and perhaps a bit of Munich malt (~10% of
the grist), with some 40 °L Crystal (~10%). Northern Brewer - or hops which
produce a similar minty, woody or slightly earthy profile - are used for flavor
and aroma (about 1.5 oz. each in a 5 gallon batch). California Common
yeast is used, fermented at ~62 °F. Carbonation is high, at 2.5-3 volumes
of CO2.
California Common and Competition: Most judges aren’t that
familiar with the style. If they are, they’re probably only familiar with bottled
Anchor Steam, sometimes in less than fresh condition. This means you
want to stick to the guidelines and produce a beer which is “more like
Anchor Steam than Anchor Steam.” Make the hop character noticeable in
flavor and aroma, but not so much that it starts to come across like an
American Pale Ale. Possibly bump up the malt character a bit, but not so
much that it gets so dark or malt-focused that it shifts into American Amber
Ale territory. Balance and freshness is the key for this style.
7A. Northern German Altbier
Aroma: Subtle malty, sometimes grainy aroma. Low to no noble hop
aroma. Clean, lager character with very restrained ester profile. No diacetyl.
Appearance: Light copper to light brown color; very clear from
extended cold conditioning. Low to moderate off-white to white head with
good retention.
Flavor: Fairly bitter yet balanced by a smooth and sometimes sweet
malt character that may have a rich, biscuity and/or lightly caramelly flavor.
Dry finish often with lingering bitterness. Clean, lager character sometimes
with slight sulfury notes and very low to no esters. Very low to medium
noble hop flavor. No diacetyl.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body. Moderate to moderately
high carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel.
Overall Impression: A very clean and relatively bitter beer, balanced
by some malt character. Generally darker, sometimes more caramelly, and
usually sweeter and less bitter than Düsseldorf Altbier.
Comments: Most Altbiers produced outside of Düsseldorf are of the
Northern German style. Most are simply moderately bitter brown lagers.
Ironically “alt” refers to the old style of brewing (i.e., making ales), which
makes the term “Altbier” somewhat inaccurate and inappropriate. Those
that are made as ales are fermented at cool ale temperatures and lagered
at cold temperatures (as with Düsseldorf Alt).
Ingredients: Typically made with a Pils base and colored with
roasted malt or dark crystal. May include small amounts of Munich or
Vienna malt. Noble hops. Usually made with an attenuative lager yeast.
Commercial Examples: Long Trail Ale, Otter Creek Copper Ale.
7B. California Common Beer
Aroma: Typically showcases the signature Northern Brewer hops
(with woody, rustic or minty qualities) in moderate to high strength. Light
fruitiness acceptable. Low to moderate caramel and/or toasty malt
aromatics support the hops. No diacetyl.
Appearance: Medium amber to light copper color. Generally clear.
Moderate off-white head with good retention.
Flavor: Moderately malty with pronounced hop bitterness. The malt
character is usually toasty (not roasted) and caramelly. Low to moderately
high hop flavor, usually showing Northern Brewer qualities (woody, rustic,
minty). Finish fairly dry and crisp, with lingering hop bitterness and a firm,
grainy malt flavor. Light fruity esters are acceptable, but otherwise clean.
No diacetyl.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium to medium-high carbonation.
Overall Impression: A lightly fruity beer with firm, grainy maltiness,
interesting toasty and caramel flavors, and showcasing the signature
Northern Brewer varietal hop character.
History: American West Coast original. Large shallow open
fermenters (coolships) were traditionally used to compensate for the
absence of refrigeration and to take advantage of the cool ambient
temperatures in the San Francisco Bay area. Fermented with lager yeast,
but one that was selected to thrive at the cool end of normal ale
fermentation temperatures.
Comments: This style is narrowly defined around the prototypical
Anchor Steam example. Superficially similar to an American pale or amber
ale, yet differs in that the hop flavor/aroma is woody/minty rather than
citrusy, malt flavors are toasty and caramelly, the hopping is always
assertive, and a warm-fermented lager yeast is used.
Ingredients: Pale ale malt, American hops (usually Northern Brewer,
rather than citrusy varieties), small amounts of toasted malt and/or crystal
malts. Lager yeast, however some strains (often with the mention of
“California” in the name) work better than others at the warmer fermentation
temperatures (55 to 60˚F) used. Note that some German yeast strains
produce inappropriate sulfury character. Water should have relatively low
sulfate and low to moderate carbonate levels.
Commercial Examples: Anchor Steam, Flying Dog Old Scratch
Amber Lager.
7C. Düsseldorf Altbier
Aroma: Clean yet robust and complex aroma of rich malt, noble hops
and restrained fruity esters. The malt character reflects German base malt
varieties. The hop aroma may vary from moderate to very low, and can
have a peppery, floral or perfumy character associated with noble hops. No
diacetyl.
Appearance: Light amber to orange-bronze to deep copper color, yet
stopping short of brown. Brilliant clarity (may be filtered). Thick, creamy,
long-lasting off-white head.
Flavor: Assertive hop bitterness well balanced by a sturdy yet clean
and crisp malt character. The malt presence is moderated by moderatelyhigh to high attenuation, but considerable rich and complex malt flavors
remain. Some fruity esters may survive the lagering period. A long-lasting,
medium-dry to dry, bittersweet or nutty finish reflects both the hop
bitterness and malt complexity. Noble hop flavor can be moderate to low.
No roasted malt flavors or harshness. No diacetyl. Some yeast strains may
impart a slight sulfury character. A light minerally character is also
sometimes present in the finish, but is not required. The apparent bitterness
level is sometimes masked by the high malt character; the bitterness can
seem as low as moderate if the finish is not very dry.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Smooth. Medium to medium-high
carbonation. Astringency low to none. Despite being very full of flavor, is
light bodied enough to be consumed as a session beer in its home
brewpubs in Düsseldorf.
Overall Impression: A well balanced, bitter yet malty, clean, smooth,
well-attenuated amber-colored German ale.
History: The traditional style of beer from Düsseldorf. “Alt” refers to the “old”
style of brewing (i.e., making top-fermented ales) that was common before
lager brewing became popular. Predates the isolation of bottom-fermenting
yeast strains, though it approximates many characteristics of lager beers.
The best examples can be found in brewpubs in the Altstadt (“old town”)
section of Düsseldorf.
Comments: A bitter beer balanced by pronounced malt richness.
Fermented at cool ale temperature (60-65˚F), and lagered at cold
temperatures to produce a cleaner, smoother palate than is typical for most
ales. Common variants include Sticke (“secret”) alt, which is slightly
stronger, darker, richer and more complex than typical alts. Bitterness rises
up to 60 IBUs and is usually dry hopped and lagered for a longer time.
Münster alt is typically lower in gravity and alcohol, sour, lighter in color
(golden), and can contain a significant portion of wheat. Both Sticke alt and
Münster alt should be entered in the specialty category.
Ingredients: Grists vary, but usually consist of German base malts
(usually Pils, sometimes Munich) with small amounts of crystal, chocolate,
and/or black malts used to adjust color. Occasionally will include some
wheat. Spalt hops are traditional, but other noble hops can also be used.
Moderately carbonate water. Clean, highly attenuative ale yeast. A step
mash or decoction mash program is traditional.
Commercial Examples: Zum Uerige Alt.
Vital Statistics
Name
7A. Northern German Altbier
7B. California Common
7C. Düsseldorf Altbier
OG
1.046-1.054
1.048-1.054
1.046-1.054
FG
1.010-1.015
1.011-1.014
1.010-1.015
IBUs
25-40
30-45
35-50
SRM
13-19
10-14
11-17
ABV
4.5-5.2%
4.5-5.5%
4.5-5.2%
Inspirational Reading
Books
Daniels, Ray. Designing Great Beers, Brewer’s Publications, Boulder, CO.
Dornbusch, Horst. Altbier, Brewer’s Publications, Boulder, CO.
Fix, George. Principles of Brewing Science. Brewer’s Publications, Boulder, CO.
Jackson, Michael. World Guide to Beer. Running Press, Philadelphia, PA.
Mosher, Randy The Brewer’s Companion, Alephenia Press, Chicago, Il.
Palmer, John & Zainasheff, Jamil. Brewing Classic Styles, Brewer’s Publications, Boulder, CO.
Altbier Overviews
Copper-bottom ales halt lager tide in Germany (http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000838.html)
Kölsch ist kein Bier. Die Altbier Fanpage (http://www.koelsch-ist-kein-bier.de/) (In German. An example of the Köln-Düsseldorf rivalry. The site
name translates as "Kölsch is not beer" which gives you an idea of its tone.
Old German Beer Styles (http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/gerstyle.htm) (Part of a very good web site which gives a good overview of British,
Dutch and German beer and beer bars. Less good for French and Belgian beer.)
Northern German Altbier
North German Altbier (http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/recipesbystyle.php?id=22)
California Common
Anchor Brewing Company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_Brewing_Company)
Anchor Steam (http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beers/)
Anchors up and away (http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-001513.html)
Arizona Steamer California Common Style Ale (http://brewersconnection.com/recipes/AZSteamer.htm)
Brewing in Styles: California Steaming (http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/styles/2_1style.html)
California Common Beer (http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/recipesbystyle.php?id=23)
Gambrinus' Mug - The Brewery's Recipe Exchange Hybrid/Mixed Styles: California Common (http://www.brewery.org/gambmug/toc/gm.4_1.toc.shtml)
Steam Beer (http://brewery.org/cm3/recs/04_05.html)
Steam Beer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_beer)
Steam, Smoked, and Sour Beers (http://www.hbd.org/brewery/cm3/recs/04_toc.html)
Düsseldorf Altbier
Altbier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altbier)
Altbier (http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/altbier.html)
Düsseldorf Altbier (http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/recipesbystyle.php?id=24)
Düsseldorf Breweries (http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/dussbrew.htm)
Düsseldorf Pub Guide (http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/dusspubs.htm)
Füchschen Alt (http://www.hbd.org/brewery/taproom/imfuchschen01.html)
Schumacher Alt (http://www.hbd.org/brewery/taproom/schumacher02.html)
Zum Schlüssel Alt (http://www.hbd.org/brewery/taproom/zumschlussel02.html)
Zum Uerige Altbier (http://www.hbd.org/brewery/taproom/zumuerige00.html)