Biermann

Recipes 

Ok, its Oktoberfest time, and all those wonderful Maerzen lagers have me fired up. Here's a recipe below for one I'm going after. Recipe from NorthernBrewer. Comments, wisdom, and advice appreciated.

I realize the danged thing won't be done by "oktoberfest," but it'll be a nice lager to drink during late winter/early spring. . .

5 gallon batch:

5 lbs. 2 row pilsner
5 lbs. Munich
1 lbs. Dark Munich 40 EBC
0.5 lbs. Medium Crystal

Hops
2 oz. Hallertauer (60 min)

Yeast
Wyeast #2206 Bavarian Lager Yeast.

Planning on lagering for about 3 months at around 37 degrees (eventually).

Any advice on the hop bill??

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On Draft:
Degradation IPA 8.2%
Blackstrap porter 6.1%--under nitro
Freedom's Bitter Alimony Ale



Holding tanks:
Conical #1:Nichts
Bottles: 4 cases--IRV Belgian style golden strong ale
2 cases--IRV Brett conditioned Belgian strong ale
2 cases--IRV Brett and wine oak aged strong ale
On Deck:

BigEd

Recipes 

I would ditch the medium crystal malt, don't really see a need for it. As for the hops I like to use a small middle addition in a 'fest beer. Perhaps take a half ounce out of the 60 minute addition and put it in at 30 to 20 minutes keeping the overall IBU of the beer in the mid 20s. This will give just a hint of hop flavor to balance with the malt without making the beer hoppy and out of style.

Biermann

Recipes 

Cool. .. I've also thought about substituting Saaz for Hallertau. Any thoughts? I've even considered doing my very first decoction for this one. . still haven't decided on that though.

__________________
--------------------------------------------------------
On Draft:
Degradation IPA 8.2%
Blackstrap porter 6.1%--under nitro
Freedom's Bitter Alimony Ale



Holding tanks:
Conical #1:Nichts
Bottles: 4 cases--IRV Belgian style golden strong ale
2 cases--IRV Brett conditioned Belgian strong ale
2 cases--IRV Brett and wine oak aged strong ale
On Deck:

AdIn

Recipes 

I don't think Saaz would "fit the style". Marzens should not have hop aroma, only a bittering to balance sweetness. I would also add a few oz of aromatic malt to the grain bill.

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Non-alcoholic beer is a first step to a rubber woman

Exo

Recipes 

CaraVienne, CaraMunich, Carapils I'd add a 1/2# of each, drop the dark munich and throw in a dash of chocolate malt to give a little more color....

__________________
Primary:
doh!
Secondary:
Wasp Bitten IPA (a Walker-San clone);Cheesefood's Caramel Creme; Wee Heavy Scottish Ale;
Bottled/Conditioning:
Flyin' Hornet Pale Ale(Mirror Pond clone);Oktoberfest Ale
Drinking:
Boom-Boom Apricot Hefeweisen; Forbidden Ale;Pale-Ass Ale (SNPA Clone); Ol' Man Winter Ale
On-deck:
Dead Guy clone
Planning:
Walker's Espresso Stout; BrewPastor's Bastard Lager

Quote:

But honey, how else am I going to get enough bottles for my next batch? *burp*...*fart*

AdIn

Recipes 

I'd rather avoid color malts (like chocolate) and followed authentic tradition to do decoction to get better color and taste.

__________________
Non-alcoholic beer is a first step to a rubber woman

BigEd

Recipes 

Saaz, great hop but I like something more mellow in an Oktoberfest. If you haven't tried them before give Spalt a try. It is my hop of choice for this style. As far as the decoction, go for it. The traditional and best way to mash an Oktoberfest IMO. I also agree with AdIn regarding chocolate malt. No place for it in this beer.

Baron von BeeGee

Recipes 

I, too, would avoid the color/crystal malts as much as possible if you're trying to go authentic. If you're going to go with a decoction you might consider some of the undermodified pilsner malt that Austin Homebrew has to be even more authentic.

I did mine this year with Hallertau Hersbrucker...I'll let you know how it turns out in a month or so!

MrSaLTy

Recipes 

For what its worth, here ia an oktoberfest/marzen recipe that I have.... I have not brewed it yet but plan to when I have the ability to do lagers.....

TBN Dr. Scott's Marzen

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 11.39
Anticipated OG: 1.056 Plato: 13.92
Anticipated SRM: 9.5
Anticipated IBU: 20.6
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
39.5 4.50 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
18.7 2.13 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
15.4 1.75 lbs. Vienna Malt Germany 1.037 3
9.9 1.13 lbs. Munich Malt(light) America 1.033 10
5.5 0.63 lbs. Aromatic Malt Belgium 1.036 25
5.5 0.63 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
5.5 0.63 lbs. Crystal 60L America 1.034 60

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Tettnanger Whole 4.50 19.5 90 min.
0.25 oz. Saazer Whole 4.30 1.1 15 min.


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP820 Octoberfest - Marzen


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs: 11.39
Water Qts: 14.23 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 3.56 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.25 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 156 Time: 90
Mash-out Rest Temp : 168 Time: 10
Sparge Temp : 175 Time: 60


Total Mash Volume Gal: 4.47 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

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PRIMARY: Air
SECONDARY#1: Air
SECONDARY#2: Air
On Tap: Air
Keg Conditioning: Air
Bottle stock:
Next Up: dunno yet
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My Homebrew Stirplate

Chairman Cheyco

Recipes 

For a first go I'd drop the crystal malt and half the 2-row and up the munich. I've heard of examples being brewed with almost all munich malt. Don't forget, this beer is the maltiest of the malty, you don't want too much caramel sweetness coming through.
The hop profile looks good, I wouldn't use Saaz, might be too peppery.
That being said, I'd brew that recipe like you have it. Looks delicious.

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