IBU/GU ratio is 0.53 I still don’t understand this ratio yet. I would love to know where cloying ends, balanced begins, balanced ends, slightly hoppy begins etc. For now I just take Brewtarget’s word for it. IBUs are 27.1
For my tastes in alt, I’d double the bittering. But I’m a fan of Zum Uerige, which is a pretty bitter alt. I’d also drop the aromatic and maybe the caramunich, or cut the caramunich in half. Use 1 oz. of roasted barley for color rather than black patent. Carafa or Sinamar would be better choices for color, IMO.
IBU range on Dusseldorf Alt is 35-50, OG range is 1.046-1.054. Even at the upper limit of OG for the style and lower limit of IBU, you’re looking at an 0.65 BU:GU ratio. In reality, I’d really say 0.75 is a good low end to start at, and you can go to 1.0 or higher for a BU:GU ratio for this style. But I’m a Uerige fan as well ;D Doppelsticke is probably my favorite non-US/UK brew.
I tried this beer and it tasted like an Octoberfest. So I bought a 6er of Sam Adams Octoberfest and tasted them side by side. I honestly cannot taste a difference. Color is identical but mine is a bit cloudy. Mine pours with a better head.