Festbier BierMuncher's OktoberFAST Ale (AG)

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Brewed this up 1 week ago with s-04. Fermentation died down after about 3 days, and 7 days later I’m at 1.021. I attribute this to the crystal, higher mash temp and typical s-04 attenuation levels. The sample tastes so good, but I’d like to get it down below 1.020 and even as close as I can to 1.015. Have moved the fermenter out of the 65-67F ferm fridge and upstairs to where it’s about 73F and we’ll see where it ends up in another week or two.

We’re having an Oktoberfest party on Oct 2nd and I’m also making a cream ale which always kills at parties. Looking forward to feedback from friends on this beer!

Thanks,

Dan
 
Brewed this up 1 week ago with s-04. Fermentation died down after about 3 days, and 7 days later I’m at 1.021. I attribute this to the crystal, higher mash temp and typical s-04 attenuation levels. The sample tastes so good, but I’d like to get it down below 1.020 and even as close as I can to 1.015. Have moved the fermenter out of the 65-67F ferm fridge and upstairs to where it’s about 73F and we’ll see where it ends up in another week or two.

We’re having an Oktoberfest party on Oct 2nd and I’m also making a cream ale which always kills at parties. Looking forward to feedback from friends on this beer!

Thanks,

Dan


If the O'fest ends up a little too sweet, you can mix in a little cream ale when you serve it. Seriously. :) (I use Natural Ice beer when I need to thin out something too heavy that I brew)
 
If the O'fest ends up a little too sweet, you can mix in a little cream ale when you serve it. Seriously. :) (I use Natural Ice beer when I need to thin out something too heavy that I brew)

Good thought - I have also seen others suggest that on this site in the past. I plan to let these chill and carbonate for a month in the keg and then will transfer to a serving keg so I can bring it outside and still have crystal clear beer. I’ll make an assessment at that time and see if I want to try mixing in the keg.

Reading through this thread, there are a whole lotta folks who end up around 1.020 and are happy with the beer, so we’ll see!

Dan
 
I attempted my first batch of this recipe a few weeks ago, and I think I might be stuck. Brew day seemed to go pretty well, hit my numbers nearly as expected (temp gauge error wound up mashing high, near 160) and wound up with a SG of 1.055. I pitched a rehydrated pack of W-34/70 at 60 degrees and the yeast seemed to go to town. I let it ride for close to a week, took a hydro sample and it was down to 1.030. I let the temp rise to 65 over the next week, but when I took another sample it was only down to 1.028. I had a hefe getting ready to go into the chamber, so I let the temp come up to 68 and roused the yeast a couple of times, but I'm still only down to 1.028. It'll be 3 weeks in primary this coming Saturday.

Should I add another pack of this yeast by making a mini-starter, or just live with the high FG and keg it now? The samples tasted great, as far as I'm concerned.
 
I am looking to brew 5 gallons of this one for the first time in the next day or two and would appreciate any comments on my grain bill. I am a little concerned about not making it too sweet - I don't want a crystal bomb, just a balanced malt forward beer. I have cut back the Crystal 50 somewhat from the original recipe.

Grain
4.3 lb 2-Row
2.2 lb Munich (10 L)
2.0 lb Vienna (4 L)
1.0 lb Aromatic
1.0 lb Crystal 15
0.5 lb Crystal 50

Mash at 153-154 F.
Hallertau Mitterfruh hops to 25 IBU added at 60, 30 minutes

Comments appreciated
 
Just popped a couple bottles from my first batch of this that I bottled around six weeks ago. Awesome, but It’d be perfect for my tastes if it were just a tad less sweet. I’m thinking maybe a little less caramel and a little more Pilsner.
would love feedback.
 
I brew this last year for my church's oktoberfest. Everyone really enjoyed it. I got many compliments after people had it. It's always fun to transition from "oh..... this is homebrewed?" to "wow this is (insert "actually" subtext) good"

I was initially worried how it would turn out because it fermented so fast! It seemed like there was a pump in the beer it was churning so much with the yeast.

I plan to start my next batch here in a week for our next oktoberfest
 
I'm brewing this up today. Unfortunately, my home brew shop was out of Denny's yeast so I'm rolling with American Ale II, so I'm hoping it turns out as well as it has the past few years.
 

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