Festbier BierMuncher's OktoberFAST Ale (AG)

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This beer get's better the longer it's in the keg...unfortunately the keg also has less volume as this occurs :drunk:

Really glad I brewed this. If anyone's bottle conditioned this, have you noticed any tasting differences vs. force carbed in keg? I plan to serve some of this at our block party on the 13th but the keg will likely be dry by then. hiccup
 
just brewed my first attempt at this, 5 gallon batch. hit 83% efficiency in my newly insulated mash tun which was surprising. OG was 1.050 going into the carboy, looking forward to this.
 
Going to try this out in time for deer camp. Only change is using Wyeast's 1968 London ESB yeast. Here goes nothing!
 
Sorry for not checking more than the first dozen or so pages, but this thread is pretty big.

I racked this to the secondary and since haven't seen or measured any activity. Anyone else have this problem?
 
Secondary is really not necessary and usually really used to clear the beer. If you did not move the beer too early to secondary, you really should not see any activity.
 
deuce40 said:
So I brewed this beer last Friday and I'm a little scared that I mashed to high. I was trying to get to the mash temp of 157 and ended up right at 160 for a little while. Probably 5 minutes total. I was trying to stir as much as I could to bring down temp but it just wasn't dropping fast enough so I dropped in some cold water to get it to about where I need. By the end of my 60Min mash temps had dropped another 3 or 4 degrees ending at around 154. So I coutinued as usual and didnt think much of it. I finshed everything then pitched my yeast I used S-04. Three days later all fermentation has stoped and was at a gravity of 1.030. Thinking it was a stuck fermenation I tryed to rouse the yeast and raise temps to about 70 was at the low 60's. Three days later still no signs or fermentation and gravity is still at 1.030. Could this be a product of the high mash temps or should I go ahead and pitch some more yeast. I also heard that adding some suger could get my yeast going again.

So I bottled this today and after just one teaspoon of the enzyme it got me all the way down to 1.013. I was looking for this to end up right around there so everything went well. Thanks for all the help.
 
I've nearly killed a keg plus some bottles of this. Great recipe. Mine dried out to around 1.010 but I still think it tastes great. I had a local brewery's Marzen the other day and it tasted almost spot-on for mine.

FWIW I used all Munich in place of Vienna, which I didn't have.
 
3 weeks in the primary and now it's in the keg. Ended up at 1.020 and the sample tasted good. Can't wait to try in 2 weeks on tap!
 
Brewed this about 3 weeks ago. straight to the keg, 40 psi overnight. And it's amazing. great head, perfect lacing, huge flavor, well balanced, caramelly (according to my roommate) and everything an octoberfest should be, even though I cheated with the -05. finished right at 1.020, and the beer is perfect. If you're lazy or can't do lagers, this is a great fall seasonal. Next year I might even try to brew it on time for real octoberfest time. Excited to drink it for the rest of the fall and into the winter.

Thanks BM. your recipes are always perfect. Whenever I want to try a new style, I go straight to your recipe dropdown. Thanks!!
 
One week in the keg and it is only slightly carbed but it is amazing. I couldn't stop drinking it. Finally after about the 8th pint the little people dressed in dirndl's came and carried me to bed.
 
Brewed this October 2nd. Was bored yesterday and kegged one gallon of the batch for fun. It's already nice. Mine taste like fat tire but better. Letting the rest age until Halloween!
 
Finally got keg tapped on this last night. Wow!!! Great flavor nice and caramelly. SWMBO loved it!! I will brew this again for sure.
 
Just tasted this at day 10 - (1.054 to 1.014) and it's awesome. I'm gonna throw it in a keg tomorrow to free up a carboy and let it sit for a little while, but can't wait to get it pouring. Nice job!
 
Day 14 in the keg at 38* and this is very drinkable. It had a bit of that early beer "bite" to it the first week, that's mellowed out quite a bit. I'll be ready to serve this to friends next week (3 weeks in the keg at 38*). Definitely gonna brew this one again before summer rolls around.
 
I just finished my boil...waiting to pitch the yeast. The original post said to frement 1 week in the primary and 3 weeks in the secondary. Any thoughts on keeping it in the primary for the whole time? That's what I have been doing and it has worked out fine. Also, is 3 or 4 weeks recommended for fermentation (in order to give the yeast time to clean up after itself)?
 
Squad1Guy said:
I just finished my boil...waiting to pitch the yeast. The original post said to frement 1 week in the primary and 3 weeks in the secondary. Any thoughts on keeping it in the primary for the whole time? That's what I have been doing and it has worked out fine. Also, is 3 or 4 weeks recommended for fermentation (in order to give the yeast time to clean up after itself)?

I breed this last summer and did 21 days in primary then kegged it up. Its a great beer and It does get even better if you can the keep it cold for 3-4 more weeks.
 
I brewed this last summer and did 21 days in primary then kegged it up. Its a great beer and It does get even better if you can the keep it cold for 3-4 more weeks.

Thanks! I am going to be bottling this one, but I think I will just keep it in the primary for the 3 weeks.
 
How long will this stay good for? I plan to brew this and keep it in primary and then secondary for a few months.
 
Carbing this up now. Came out great. Some of my BMC friends even enjoyed it. I'll definitely be making it again
 
I just checked my gravity. It has been in the primary for 2.5 weeks. OG was 1.049 and FG came in (today) at 1.014 so I think it is done. I tasted the hydro sample (of course!) and it was not as malty (or maybe I was expecting sweet) as I thought it would be. It had a malty aftertaste but not the sweetness I was expecting. Am I just confusing the two? I mashed at 156F and dropped maybe a degree over the hour. Thanks!
 
I just checked my gravity. It has been in the primary for 2.5 weeks. OG was 1.049 and FG came in (today) at 1.014 so I think it is done. I tasted the hydro sample (of course!) and it was not as malty (or maybe I was expecting sweet) as I thought it would be. It had a malty aftertaste but not the sweetness I was expecting. Am I just confusing the two? I mashed at 156F and dropped maybe a degree over the hour. Thanks!

Let it age and mature a little. Once the yeast have completely cleared out and the carbonation takes hold, the beer will take on a fuller flavor.
 
I just checked my gravity. It has been in the primary for 2.5 weeks. OG was 1.049 and FG came in (today) at 1.014 so I think it is done. I tasted the hydro sample (of course!) and it was not as malty (or maybe I was expecting sweet) as I thought it would be. It had a malty aftertaste but not the sweetness I was expecting. Am I just confusing the two? I mashed at 156F and dropped maybe a degree over the hour. Thanks!

Oh yeah...here is a picture of the hydro sample...it looks beautiful!

0326131459.jpg
 
DSCF2888.jpg
Here it is after 3 weeks (or so) in the bottle. The taste is out of this world! Malty with some buscuit-y (that's what I'm tasting anyway) undertones and just delicious. This will definitely be made again!!
 
Looks tasty!
Ive got a batch im planning on bottling tomorrow. Did a 3 wk primary and 2 wek secondary so far. Smells great. Cant wait to try it... My first all grain.
 
Really excited for this one. It's mashing as I type (a huge 1.5 gallon batch)and will be one of the last brews before vacation. My older brother is a beer lover and I'm excited for him to try this one.

Thanks for the recipe :)
 
I've really wanted to do an Oktoberfest, but I still don't have lagering capacity, so this recipe is a godsend. I have a kit that was given to me for Father's Day that will go first, but this will be next.

BierMuncher, how many volumes of CO2 do you carb this to? I saw your comments mentioning the perfect carbonation level, and I'd like to hit that.

Thanks!
 
Looking to get ingredients to this tomorrow! Is the base grain there 2 row or something like a weyerman german pilsner? Sorry, prob dumb question!
 
How many packets of 04 yeast do you recommend using for a 5 gallon batch? I think Mrmalty recommends 2. Is that necessary?
I assume the base malt is pilsner, gonna buy it unless someone tells me different.
 
How many packets of 04 yeast do you recommend using for a 5 gallon batch? I think Mrmalty recommends 2. Is that necessary?
I assume the base malt is pilsner, gonna buy it unless someone tells me different.

According to the recipe on post #1, it's german pilsner. However, Vienna malt and Munich (bot in this recipe) are technically base malts, as well.
 
I guess it is the 2-row listed in it that confused me. I've read all 35 pages on this thread. I havent read about anyone using two packets of dry yeast, although Mrmalty calls for it. Anyone know if 1 is adequate?
Cant wait to brew this. I am brewing AG on post #1
 
I guess it is the 2-row listed in it that confused me. I've read all 35 pages on this thread. I havent read about anyone using two packets of dry yeast, although Mrmalty calls for it. Anyone know if 1 is adequate?
Cant wait to brew this. I am brewing AG on post #1

Pilsner is just a type of 2 row. If no specific kind is given you can assume plain 2 row/base malt. This recipe specifies pilsner, so that's what you use.

1 packet of dry yeast is typically enough for a 5 gallon batch. If doing a larger batch (like the 11 gallons listed on page 1), you'd need a second packet.
 
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