Altbier: History, Brewing Techniques, Recipes (Classic Beer Style Series, 12) [Paperback]

Horst D. Dornbusch (Author)

Book Description

Series: Classic Beer Style Series, 12 | Publication Date: April 1, 1998

This book explains how Altbier was brewed in Dusseldorf centuries ago by brewmonks and brewnuns, and how to brew one today.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Who says there's no such thing as a German ale? Eat your lederhosen! If you think the German beer land is just a lager land, think again, jawohl!"--from the preface

Brewed centuries ago by monks and nuns, this copper-colored, full-bodied ale has a proud and unbroken brewing tradition dating back to the beginning of civilization. Horst Dornbusch sheds light on the practices of commercial altbier makers, how the equipment and ingredients used affect its flavor, and how this full-bodied brew became one of Germany's most beloved beer styles. Recipes are included!

Brewers Publications Classic Beer Style Series is devoted to offering in-depth information on world-class beer styles by exploring their history, flavor profiles, brewing methods, recipes, and ingredients.

About the Author

Horst D Dornbusch

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Brewers Publications (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0937381624
• ISBN-13: 978-0937381625
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Horst Dornbusch is a well-known consultant in the international brewing industry as well as a leading author and speaker about beer. He writes in English and German and has contributed hundreds of articles to North American and European periodicals for beer lovers and brewing professionals alike. Horst Dornbusch is the Associate Editor of the The Oxford Companion to Beer (Sept. 2011) and the author of The Ultimate Almanac of World Beer Recipes (2010), Bavarian Helles (2000), Altbier (1999), PROST! The Story of German Beer (1997), and a forthcoming beer recipe book for homebrewers in German (Sept. 2012). He is interviewed frequently on the history, styles, technology, and marketing of beer by broadcast media from Austrian TV to the BBC, New Zealand National Radio, and NPR, and has been the script consultant to two Discovery Channel programs. In the 1990s, he founded an award-winning microbrewery in Massachusetts. Before he made a career change to the world of beer, he worked for two decades as a writer, editor, and publications manager at The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Reader's Digest, and Siemens Medical Electronics. He was born and raised in Germany, was a Fulbright Scholar, and holds a B.A. from Reed College and an M.A. from Brandeis University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Makes a mighty fine brew., June 13, 2000

By 

G. Langowski "njbeerboy" (Middletown, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Altbier: History, Brewing Techniques, Recipes (Classic Beer Style Series, 12) (Paperback)

Being a homebrewer for 4 years, I have found that Brewers Publications' Classic Beer Styles Series is an excellent resource for discovering and making numerous quality brews. In Altbier, Horst Dornbusch tackles a style that few people may have ever had. His approach is practical and to the point. The history section is thorough without being long-winded, as is sometimes the case with other books in the series. Mr. Dornbusch has done an excellent job applying his own brewing knowledge in explaining the ins and outs of altbier brewing. I have followed some of the recipes in the book, and I am extremely pleased with the results so far. The only downside to this book is that the section on style profile could have been more thorough and descriptive. However, this book is well worth the investment.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knows his stuff, May 17, 2010

By 

Cate Swan - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Altbier: History, Brewing Techniques, Recipes (Classic Beer Style Series, 12) (Paperback)

I'm going to be brewing an alt and I got a recipe on line, and also have a couple of how-to-brew-beer books, BUT I had too many unanswered questions. This is relatively small, very concise, clearly written book on alts, by a man who hails from that part of Germany and learned how to brew them himself. Because it's a book specifically about altbier it covers territory that other brew books don't. An example: "If you prime your beer, avoid sugar, which can contribute a slightly sour aftertaste to the brew. Always use light dried malt extract (DME) istead." That statement, of course, refers to altbiers. He covers commercial, homebrew all-grain, and homebrew extract methods of brewing. This isn't a book for the first time brewer, however I've only got two batches under my belt and this book has clarified enough for me to proceed with confidence. Another bit of handy information included in the book: for those of us who have a regular old fridge, he points out that the temperature range of most of them falls between 40- 60 degrees fahrenheit. 60 degrees can be used for primary fermentation and 40 degrees is at the upper limit of the alt lagering temperature. Therefore, an unmodified refridgerator can be used for altbier making. Thanks Horst. Recipes in the back for one barrel, 5 gallons all-grain and 5 gallons extract.