oktoberfest Ale -yeast options

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Redbeard5289

Redbeard5289

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Hey Guys and Gals,

I am looking for opinions as to what liquid yeast I should use for Oktoberfest Ale that I am brewing up Friday Night.

The recipe I am copying is a traditional lager style and calls for a Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or a WLP830 (German Lager). But since I don't have lagering capabilities yet I decided to brew this oktoberfest as an ale.

So what Ale yeast would be a good match?
I do have some yeast wash of an American Ale (wyeast) and an Irish Ale (wyeast) sitting in my fridge that I can use or should I go with something different.

What do you all recommend or have tried with great results?

Thanks for the input, I truly appreciate it!
Redbeard5289
:mug:
 
The American Ale would be fine. Pitch a HUGE starter to try and reduce ester production as much as possible and ferment as cool as you can.

Kolsch yeast is very popular for quasi lagers because you can ferment it very cold and clean. I have done this with success.
 
Redbeard5289 said:
Hey Guys and Gals,

I am looking for opinions as to what liquid yeast I should use for Oktoberfest Ale that I am brewing up Friday Night.

The recipe I am copying is a traditional lager style and calls for a Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or a WLP830 (German Lager). But since I don't have lagering capabilities yet I decided to brew this oktoberfest as an ale.

So what Ale yeast would be a good match?
I do have some yeast wash of an American Ale (wyeast) and an Irish Ale (wyeast) sitting in my fridge that I can use or should I go with something different.

What do you all recommend or have tried with great results?

Thanks for the input, I truly appreciate it!
Redbeard5289
:mug:
Click to expand...

If an Oktoberfest is the style you are looking to brew White Labs has a more specific yeast for the application than the WLP830. The WLP820 Oktoberfest/Marzen Lager Yeast might be an option as well. Whichever direction you go in, I would recommend making a starter.

http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp820.html
 
WY1007 is always my first choice for puedo lagers, but the American ale will work pretty well, too. Remember, you still need to ferment as cool as possible and lager it when it's done for best results.
 
I've used San Fran Lager (WLP810) several times for an Octoberfest with pretty good results. I ferment at about 62 when using it.
 
California Ale will ferment cooler and with less ester production than other ale yeasts. California Lager tolerates warmer temps than typical lager yeasts. Either is a good choice if you have moderate temp control capabilities and can keep your fermenter in the 56-64 dF range.

If you can't hit those temps I'd use a British Ale yeast as it will accentuate the malt more than the hops and shouldn't create the fruity flavors of an American Ale yeast. Regardless you need to make sure the fermentation temp is constant or you'll get lots of esters with any yeast.
 
This style is REALLY hard to do well with any Ale yeast. i did this with Wyeast 2563 Kolsch at 60 degrees F in a temperature controlled environment. I pitched a 2L starter for 1.050 wort. My end result had lots of esters; way too many esters. It's been lagering for several months now and needs a bit more.

I did this with a lager strain last year and it was awesome. I just can't do this style justice with an Ale yeast.

I hate to be a negative nancy here but if you can't use a lager yeast at the correct temperature don't bother with this style....
 
Too late to mention S-05? I made my Oktobefest ale with it last year after a few other members here recommended it.
 
+2 on 05, i'm currently drinking my marzen with 05 and i think it came out well. if i fermented cooler and lagered in the the keezer before putting it on tap it would be even better but i'm very happy with it.
 
If you are looking for an ale yeast, give Wyeast German Ale a try. Have gotten decent malt character from it. I did it this year with a Kolsch cake and it came out good, too. In the past I have also used WhiteLabs San Francisco LAger/Wyeast Cali Lager (same yeast) and good resultes! I have never used Cali Ali/American Ale/05 (all the same) so I cannot say anything about it, but I would assume it works out just fine
 
Thanks for all the great suggestions and recommendations.

I ended up getting the Wyeast British Ale Yeast from the LHBS last night to use on the oktoberfest ale that I am brewing up friday night. I liked the idea of the British Ale yeast lending more of a malty factor to the brew. That and I didn't have that particular sample in my yeast wash bank yet.

I will let you know the outcome of the British Ale yeast in the Oktoberfest Ale in about 4-5 weeks.

Redbeard5289
 

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