Bee Cave Brewery Oktoberfest Ale
 

I wanted to do an Oktoberfest beer for a neighborhood party, but am not ready to invest the time for lagering, so I whipped this up with a Kölsch yeast. I am VERY happy with the results at my first taste at 2 months since brew day. The neighborhood Oktoberfest is October 13th, so almost another month of aging will bring this to a very nice brew.

5.5# Pils
5.5# Vienna
2# Munich
0.5# Caramunich
0.5# Caravienne

Single infusion mash (1.25 qts./lb.) at 154 degrees for 90 minutes.

1 oz. Tettnang 4.4% AA at 60 min.
0.5 oz Hallertau 4.2 % AA at 30 Min
0.5 oz. Hallertau 4.2% AA at 15 min

O.G. 1.062
F.G. 1.012

Ferment at 65 degrees for 1 week, drop to 60 for 2 weeks, then crash cool for a few days at 39 before kegging. Age 2 months in keg on gas before serving.

I brewed this seven days ago. It was tossed it on a freshly evacuated yeast cake from my batch of Kolsch.

Planing ;)

It took off like a shot and was making bubles within about thirty minute. My temps got a few degrees higher in the begining, but I managed to get them down to within a degree with in 24 hours.

If I remember right the wort was 71* when i pitched/poured. This has had no bubbles since the end of the second day. It smells pretty good and I anticipate great beer. Thanks again for this and all your fine recipes Ed.

Ed - Looks like another winner!!!

BTW - I 'll be making for Haus PA shortly. Got everything sitting in the man-fridge.

How did this turn out? I love Octoberfests. I've made them with ale yeast and called Oktoberfest Cream Ales.

Thanks. Personally, I think this is my best beer brewed Evah! It was mighty fine.

I'll be making 10 gallons of it this year for my neighborhood brewfest as last year it was the first keg floating out of 7.

I'll brew 10 gallons of Koslch before and use their yeast cakes for the Oktoberfest.

Enjoy!

so hypothetically what would happen if i fermented this at say 73 or so?

It's a Kolsch yeast, so you may get some fruity esters. Remember, when it is 73 ambient, the beer is fermenting at 5 to 10 degrees warmer due to the heat generated from the process.

do you think it is even worth it. My house is warm (southern california) and i havent made space yet for a fridge for lagering. thoughts because i really like octoberfest beers and i want something that will age well

For those temps, I would use a yeast that works well at the higher spectrum. Nottingham comes to mind. You could use the carboy in the bucket with water and a t-shirt method, but you need to be vigilant.

either that or i pray for snow in socal during summer......hmm. thanks for the tip

Ed - what psi are you keeping it at for those 2 months? And around what temp?