Oktoberfest feedback...

Planning on brewing an O-fest this weekend to be ready in the fall ("fall" being a relative term in Phoenix).

Current Grain Bill

4 lbs Weyerman Pils
3 lbs Weyerman Vienna
1.5 lbs Weyerman light Munich
1.5 lbs Weyerman dark Munich (note this is the 9 L "dark" Munich)
.5 lbs Caramunich Type I
.5 lbs Aromatic

Bittered with Hallertau to the mid point of the style (can't remember of the top of my head what my numbers came out to be IBU-wise).

90 minute boil

Ayinger yeast strain

This is my 3rd year of brewing an Oktoberfest. I've tweaked the base malts each time. First year was 50% Munich, 30% Vienna, 20% Pils with .5 lbs of Caramunich (yes, I'm rounding the numbers). Last year was 50/50 Munich/Vienna plus the .5 lbs of Caramunich.

New for this year--predominantly Pils, dividing the Munich between light and dark, and the aromatic.

My biggest question is whether to add the aromatic. My primary alternative would be to scrap the Caramunich/aromatic altogether, while just using base malts (upping the Pils to accommodate for the loss of Caramunich/aromatic currently in the recipe).

Something that I will not be doing is a decoction, so please no suggestions of ditching the aromatic and doing a decoction mash.

I've never used aromatic (or melanoiden, which I understand to be pretty similar to aromatic) in anything, so feedback on that grain would be particularly welcomed.

Bump...

Looks really similar to one I did recently (including aromatic) and it was awesome! Looks good.

Oktoberfest or Helles? Helles is what is served in the tents in Munich. During Oktoberfest, brewers pump up the ABV a bit.

Aromatic will work fine in an Export or American Oktoberfest though. Gives it a big malty nose and kick. I typically make one keg for Oktoberfest that uses a bunch of aromatic and a touch of something for color in addition to several kegs of Helles. It always goes quick.

For a Helles drop everything but the pilsner, vienna, and munich. The art of a Helles is really in the mash but you can get a good result from a 131/148/158 step mash if you don't want to decoct (and who does). I believe it's called a Hockhurz mash. You get that nice straw color and rocky head with a firm malt backbone. You're on the right track by upping the pils malt too.

I do the decoctions. I feel it's part of the style. Maybe I'm just a masochist.