Oktoberfest

[ScrewyBrewer]

Wow going back through my brewing notes I realized I haven't brewed an Oktoberfest Lager since January 2013! Apparently I grow up a large 400B cell pitch using White Labs WLP820 - Oktoberfest/Märzen Lager Yeast™ and fermented at 54F. As I remember it turned out to be a really good tasting beer but I also remember having to force carbonate it due to the extended lagering at low temperatures. Now you've got me thinking about brewing another batch and letting my Hazy Daze Stout wait a few months.

[mashani]

I just made a Belgian Mocktoberfest. How wrong is that? LOL.

[Pudge]

That sounds either really good or really bad. I just can't wrap my head around which.

[gwcr]

Tis the season. I'm brewing up an Oktoberfestish this weekend too. The "ish" is because I'm doing it as an ale. Typically I like to brew to style, but the recipe that I got from HBT has rave reviews as an ale, so will give it a shot.

Sorry to hijack, but would you mind sharing that recipe? I did a "mocktoberfest" Ale last year as well, and am always looking for a good recipe.

No problem. Credit for this one goes to Ed Wort at HBT. First time for me making one of his (or anyone else's) recipes. Some modifications made for my equipment profiles.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Boil Time: 70 min
Est Original Gravity: 1.065 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.5 %
Bitterness: 21.9 IBUs
Est Color: 9.2 SRM

Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (Weyermann) (1.7 SRM) Grain 1 39.3 %
5 lbs 8.0 oz Vienna Malt (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 39.3 %
2 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 3 14.3 %
8.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.6 %
8.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.6 %
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 13.6 IBUs
0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.20 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 5.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.20 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 3.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 9 -

Single Infusion Mash 154* for 90 minutes.

His original recipe used a Kolsch yeast. I have US-05 plugged in there for now, but will see what the LHBS has. Not sure why he has a 90 minute mash. Probably just to ensure complete conversion. Other than that, pretty similar to MadBrewer's. Might be a great time for a swap of the finished products to compare...

So, I brewed this back on August 9, and was super excited to try this recipe. Well, I must have been daydreaming at the HBS because I only picked up 1 lb of Munich instead of 2 lbs HBS was closed during my brew window so I took to BeerSmith to make some adjustments. At this point I wasn't adding any different malts, just adjusting quantities while trying to keep all the stats about the same. Also doubled the hop bill because the actual AA% of the hops was about half of what the recipe default was. Here's what I ended up with.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Boil Time: 70 min
Est Original Gravity: 1.064 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.2 %
Bitterness: 25.7 IBUs
Est Color: 9.4 SRM

Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (Weyermann) (1.7 SRM) Grain 1 39.3 %
6 lbs Vienna Malt (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 39.3 %
1 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 3 14.3 %
10.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.6 %
10.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.6 %
2.00 oz Tettnang [2.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 13.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Hallertauer [2.70 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 5.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Hallertauer [2.70 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 3.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 9 -

Smooth brew day after that. OG came in at 1.065 and fermented for 2.5 weeks at 63* and FG ended at 1.014 so it came in at 6.7% ABV. Cold crashed for a few days and kegged on August 30. Set the CO2 at 11 and let her sit for 3 weeks before moving to the kegerater. Since the official Oktoberfest in Munich started on September 19, I figured I would be ok to take a few samples on the 22nd. Even with the grain mixup, this is a phenomenal beer! I have a few "official" Oktoberfest tasters coming over this weekend, so hopefully they like it as well.

Madbrewer, how did yours turn out?

[Beer-lord]

I'm a sucker for a good beer story!

[Inkleg]

Ingredients on hand change, we adapt, we brew said beer, beer turns out Good, we've kept notes to be able to brew this good beer again, lather, rinse, repeat.
Great to see this came out to your liking. Looking forward to what your "official" tasters have to say.

[MadBrewer]

Here's what I ended up with.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Boil Time: 70 min
Est Original Gravity: 1.064 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.2 %
Bitterness: 25.7 IBUs
Est Color: 9.4 SRM

Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (Weyermann) (1.7 SRM) Grain 1 39.3 %
6 lbs Vienna Malt (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 39.3 %
1 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 3 14.3 %
10.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.6 %
10.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.6 %
2.00 oz Tettnang [2.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 13.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Hallertauer [2.70 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 5.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Hallertauer [2.70 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 3.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 9 -

Smooth brew day after that. OG came in at 1.065 and fermented for 2.5 weeks at 63* and FG ended at 1.014 so it came in at 6.7% ABV. Cold crashed for a few days and kegged on August 30. Set the CO2 at 11 and let her sit for 3 weeks before moving to the kegerater. Since the official Oktoberfest in Munich started on September 19, I figured I would be ok to take a few samples on the 22nd. Even with the grain mixup, this is a phenomenal beer! I have a few "official" Oktoberfest tasters coming over this weekend, so hopefully they like it as well.

Madbrewer, how did yours turn out?

Glad it worked out well for you and the recipes where similar. My Oktoberfest is tasting pretty good. Whatever off character that was catching my attention at kegging time has gone away. The beer has cleared nicely with a great deep copper amber color, aroma is mild but the flavor is malty yet balanced. If I did it again, all I would do is probably mash higher. I went for 148-150*...maybe 152-154* would give me a bit fuller mouthfeel otherwise I think it's pretty good for my first Oktoberfest. Right now it's slightly overcarbed (which gives it a little bite) but I am going to bottle several bottles from the keg, after that I will adjust the regulator which will smooth it out once again.

Some bottles will be for some of my own tasters, so we will see how they like it as well.