Dusseldorf Altbier, "ALT"er Ego

Hi all!  To start the new year off, I will be brewing a Dusseldorf Altbier.  This style is one of my favorites!  I love the big malty backbone with the moderate hop bitterness which for me makes quite the quaffable brew.  The lower alcohol content (4.5-5.2%) is great if you want to have more than one! 
My mashbill consists of German malts from Weyermann Malting as follows:  Munich Type II, Pilsner, Dark Wheat Malt, and CaraAroma.  My hops selection is German Magnum and Hallertauer.  I'm opting for Fermentis Safale US-05 yeast, which attenuates fairly high for a drier, crisp and clean finish, letting the maltiness come through.
Brew day is scheduled for January 2, 2013!  I'll keep you posted!
Cheers!

Dunkel"rye"zen

A dark wheat beer complimented with the spiciness of rye malt.  The phenols and esters of banana, clove, and slight bubblegum, play well with the spiciness of the rye.  This beer opens up as it warms. 
Sorry about the late post as the holidays kind of got in the way.  I think I will be brewing more German styles in the near future!
Cheers!

Dunkel"rye"zen, bottled

The Dunkel"rye"zen is bottled.  FG is 1.014 placing it at 5% ABV.  Tasted at bottling and there are some nice flavors in there.  Aromas of chocolate, rye, and spice, with subtle phenolics from the yeast, and slight flavors of wheat and chocolate, finishing with rye and spice.  Two weeks to go in the bottle to see where it ends up.
Cheers!

Dunkel"rye"zen

After reading some articles on whether or not to rack to secondary, I decided not to for this batch.  There will be loads of yeast in there from the Fermentis Safbrew WB-06 yeast strain.  I want to see how the yeast does in cleaning up byproducts when left on the yeast cake.  It will not be on the cake for more than three weeks, so the risk of off flavors from autolyzed yeast should be minimal to none.  This beer is just going on its 2nd week of fermentation so it should be complete in about a week to 10 days.  I'm choosing not to do gravity test so as to minimize any chances of oxidation.  Cheers!

Dunkel"rye"zen

Dunkel"rye"zen boiling.  Smells fantastic!  Just dropped in the Tettnanger hops and my mouth is watering already! 
Target gravity of 1.052:  Actual : 1.052
Right on target!  Fermentis Safbrew WB-06 yeast is already making bubbles in the airlock after just a few hours!  Can't wait to taste this one! 
Prosit! (Cheers!)

Dunkel"rye"zen

O.k.  first attempt at this style.  I've enjoyed a few good ones, so I decided to try one on my own and spice it up a little more with rye malt.  Just a little to add some flavor and a little body.   
I'll be brewing in the a.m. on 10/24/12, with the forecast calling for rain and a temperature drop.  Projected Starting Gravity of 1.052.  More to follow on my progress.         

Ollie's Oatmeal Cream Stout, Bottled

Final Gravity 1.030 with ABV of 5.7%.  Flavor is good, chocolatey, roasty, smooth, thick, and semi-sweet, should be a great sweet/oatmeal stout!  Looking forward to this one once it is carbonated!  Ended up with 4.25 gallons at bottling producing 43 bottles.
Cheers!