I have a deep well with a fairly low mineral content. My well report came back “ND” for sulfate, in particular.
My thought is that if I feel like something is missing, I can always add it back in the next time I brew. But I really like to keep my water additions simple to start. I have noticed a lack of crispness when I’ve omitted sulfate from some styles, but Dunkel and Doppelbock seem to be just fine without it (at least to my palate).
Interesting. I agree with you… I like to keep water additions to a minimum. I only use CaCl and CaSO4 and my additions are modest. Just enough to boost my low calcium number (34) and in a ratio that is best for the style… festbier, helles, dunkel, etc… more chloride. Pale Ale, Red Ale, Amber Ale, etc., more sulfate. Cheers.
Or just get yourself a bottle of Sinamar. No flavor and easier to use than guessing at a grain amount.
So this beer was kegged, chilled and carbed this week. I took a sneaky cobra tap sample (a 16oz sample, mind you) last night to see how it was. I can’t believe I haven’t made this style before. It’s delicious and possibly one of the best beers I have made in awhile. It even has good clarity although it’s dark enough where it’s hard to tell. So let me ask you guys a question… and I’m not trying to break your brain: What if you had a beer like this (dark, dunkel base with the same hops at 60 and 10) and then you added a good amount of late hops like Hallertau to boost the IBUs to 40 or something. A hoppy dunkel. Is this a style already? It’s not that this beer needs it and I’m not a hophead. But my hop preference have certainly shifted over 16 years of brewing and I was just envisioning what this beer would be like with more hopitude. Thoughts?
West Coast Altbier.
It could be similar to a sticke alt.
Hmm, I’ve never heard of a West Coast Altbier. I also realize that some consider alt and kolsch to be a sort of lager but a dunkel is certainly a lager made with lager yeast. Would a sticke Alt have as much color as a dunkel? This one was made with 2308 which is certainly adding some great, Munich-like character. I also have the private collection 2352 Munich Lager 2 (Augustiner’s yeast, apparently) in my yeast fridge and it will probably be up and running after the first of the year. My plan is to make this same Dunkel with that yeast and then maybe make this “vision” I have where I use something at 60 (Magnum, etc) and then an ounce of Hallertau at 15, 10, 5, 2, etc. and hop it like a pale ale or something. Hoppy Uncle Dunkel. 
I think late hops tend to fight the malt and never end up the way you were hoping. I’ve tried brewing hoppy Octoberfests in the past and I always thought that the late hops were lower than hoped because the maltiness overshadowed it. I also find that by the time lagering is finished the late hops are starting to fade as well.
Hoppy altbiers tend to lean towards a solid bittering addition, although they definitely have moe late hop character than a Dunkel. It won’t hurt to try what your planning, but I’d keep a reasonable expectation for the kind of late hop character you’ll end up with.
Good call on the idea of lagering possibly dimishing the late hop character. I hadn’t thought of that but I’ll tell you what… this dunkel is delicious right now. I’m sure that 8 weeks of cold storage will improve it even more but I had three pints of it last night and I was really pleased with it. Your approach sounds reasonable… try making a hoppy dunkel with moderate expectations. Cheers.
Maybe I missed it in here but has anybody used 98% Avangard Dark Munich and 2% Carafa II without any issues? I just bought some from a different homebrew supply store. I am just wondering if some Pilsner malt in there is a good idea?
i did 80% avangard munich dark, rest avangard light munich and the carafa II. it will convert all on its own at 100%- just depends what you want in the beer. i’m considering a little pilsner next time in place of the munich light and see how i like that. all munich dark is malt malt malt…not necessarily a bad thing. just depends on what you like.
That was my concern. I’ll grab some pilsner malt tomorrow.
Just brewed this one up with WY 2308 about 5 days ago…
6# German Munich Light 8L
6# German Munich Dark 15L
5 oz Melanoiden Malt
5 oz Carafa Special II
No sparged (about 60% eff)
24 IBUs (Hallertau for bittering and flavor), 20 SRM, OG 1.053
Was shooting for a richly malty dunkel with a dry finish and balanced hops
Which German Maltster makes a 15L Dark Munich? Best and Wyermann are only in the 10L +/- range.
I have a bag of Best Dark Munich to use on a Dinkel and Doppelbock.
Avangard dark Munich
I use Best Dark Munich and Carafa II. No Pilsner and a huge pitch of WY2206 got me down to 1.012 the last couple of times.
Thanks, I think I’m just going to use the Munich malt and see where it gets me. I am using a third generation of yeast that has been performing well.
Thanks, good to know for the next purchase.
Yes sir.
Love it. But I think at 15, I liked it as I used a dry water profile and it finished 1.011. I think I will cut it with some Pils next batch and see what I think