Brew shop-quality beer at home, no brew shop required. This Altbier recipe kit comes with every pre-measured ingredient you need to brew Martin's Altbier, a 5-gallon all-grain batch, from grain to glass.

Altbier belongs to Duesseldorf, where it has been poured in the old town's brewpubs for generations. The name means "old beer," a nod to the top-fermenting method that predates the lager era. Brewers ferment it warm with an ale yeast, then condition it cold for weeks, which yields a copper beer that is lager-smooth but firmly bitter.

This recipe leans into that bitterness, close to forty IBUs, set against a malt base with a hint of chocolate malt for color. Perle and Tettnang carry the hopping. K-97 stands in as the German ale strain that gives the style its restrained fruit and crisp edge. Served cool from a small straight glass, it is one of Germany's most underrated everyday beers.

What's In The Kit

Your Altbier recipe kit includes everything below, portioned and ready to brew. All you add is water.

Fermentables

• 9 lbs · Pilsner; German
• 1 lbs · Munich Malt - 10L
• 4.0 oz · Caramunich® I → we include Crystal 50
• 4.0 oz · Chocolate Malt

Hops

• 1.25 oz · Perle Pellets (Boil, 60.0 min)
• 0.75 oz · Tettnang Pellets (Boil, 15.0 min)

Yeast

• German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs WLP029) → we include SafAle K-97 (German Ale / Kölsch)

Water treatment salts and any specialty extras are noted with the recipe.

Recipe At A Glance

A Note On Substitutions

This kit includes Crystal 50 in place of the recipe's Caramunich® I. We stock dry yeast only, so SafAle K-97 (German Ale / Kölsch) dry yeast stands in for the recipe's German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs WLP029).