Double Eagle Ale: "Octoberfest" Ale Hybrid with HOT mash

Double Eagle Ale
Brewed 7/6/2011

German Munich/Pilsner malt base with American yeast, cascade hops and a bit of wheat. Body should be heavier due to initial mash being hot. Should come out "like" an Octoberfest.

6 lbs Munich I (Wyermann) (7.1 SRM)
5 lbs Pilsner (Wyermann) (1.7 SRM)
1 lbs light wheat (Wyermann) (2 .0 SRM)

Mash: struck with 8 gal. of 170 degree water. Started hot, at 160 degrees. Left lid off mash tun to let is cool 20 minutes. Held at 158.
- High initial mash temp should create a thicker beer [Alpha-amylase starch conversion into dextrins (unfermentables)]. 160 is the limit as far as mashing goes...

Lautered after 1 hour. Used 165 degree water.
Collected 6.5 gal.

70 Minute boil
- @ 60 minutes- 1 oz Cascade (6.2 A)
- @ 30 minutes pitched flavor hops ½ oz Styrian Goldings (5.2 A)
- @ 45 minutes pitched 1 tsp Irish Moss
- @ 0 minutes finished with ½ oz Styrian Goldings (5.2 A)

Yield: 5.5 gal
IBU: 35

Cooled in a tub with icewater.
Pitched 11g dry Safeale US-05 at 85 degrees.

OG: 1.057 @ 60.

7/21 Racked to Secondary G: 1.014 @ 60 = 5.4% alcohol.

Taste is still a little hoppier than I'm looking for at end, but body & malt balance is there. Should improve with aging.

Sounds good.

Yeah, those late hop additions are a bit out of style as you don't want the hop flavor/aroma to overwhelm the maltiness you are looking for in an Oktoberfest. But those will fade over time. Wait until harvest season (September/October) to drink them and I'm sure they'll be stellar.

Also, very surprised it got as low as 1.014 when mashed at 158-160. I guess that can be attributed to the attenuation power of US-05

I wasn't trying to be too dogmatic with it. I want balance, and I've been digging the Styrian Goldings lately. It's really an experiment to come up with something unique. It's still fermenting a little too, might go down another 1-2 points. It tasted good at the rack...