Oktoberfest Ale?

So without lagering facilities, I cannot make a true Oktoberfest, not to mention it's June. I'm thinking about doing an Oktoberfest type Ale. So I'm going to want a malty, clean, highly flocculating yeast strain. I've talked with cweston in a thread a while ago (I believe) and he told me a few his LHBS recommended for the task. I'm curious, has anyone done this before.....if so, how did it turn out? I'm thinking the recipe would entrail XLight DME and steeping some German Vienna and German Munich. Can anyone come up with a good reason why this isn't a good idea....something just not tasting good?

Go with a mixture of light and amber malt extract, mini-mash some munich and some toased 2-row. WYeast 1338 (european ale) is known to be a yeast that leaves a malty profile. With this and some hallertauer hops you should be able to get a nice Oktoberfest-style beer. Once you have the ability to lager, you can just change the yeast.

I haven't tried this myself, but that's how I would make an Oktoberfest-Ale.

Kai

Kaiser said:

Go with a mixture of light and amber malt extract, mini-mash some munich and some toased 2-row.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan. I never have mini-mashed before and this article sounds like an easy, no additional equipment needed method.

http://byo.com/feature/986.html

thanks

You are describing a kolsch almost to a tee. Highly flocculating, highly attenuated and light.

Use german pils and maybe some wheat with noble hops.

Or you can tweak the grain bill and hopping and call it an american blonde. I would actually use a different yeast than the kolsch yeast. I don't like how long it takes to clear.

I think an Oktoberfest type beer would have a much maltier profile than a Kolsch and be more full-bodied, but that might just be me. I guess the approach is similar......going after a type of lager beer but with an ale yeast.

hungsolo said:

You are describing a kolsch almost to a tee. Highly flocculating, highly attenuated and light.

Use german pils and maybe some wheat with noble hops.

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This beer is very different from a Koelsh. It contains Munich malt and has a maltier profile. It should also have less hop flavor and aroma than a Koelsh. There is no need for wheat in this beer either.

Kai

I just brewed an octoberfest with steam beer yeast at the upper 60s.
I have it lagering at 38.
From the taste I had of it from the hydrometer jar it would be pretty good even without the lagering.

Kaiser said:

..... mini-mash some munich and some toased 2-row.. .......
Kai

Click to expand...

What would be your guess to the efficiency of a mini-mash using this method?

http://byo.com/feature/986.html

Thanks,

Justin