Octoberfest?

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ChefyTim

SudsChef
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OK,

So I ordered an AG kit from Morebeer.com and brewed it up just as I would any other AG brew. I was very careful, as usual, to ensure sanitation was in place all the way to the keg.

I have tasted the brew various times hoping it would age and taste better. It has been five months now and it still doesn't taste right to me.

However, I have never even tasted an Octoberfest before so I'm not really sure what it "should" taste like. My brew has a bit of a "wang" or "sour" taste to it so I am assuming some kind of bacteria got into it.

When I moved it to the secondary it looked find and it looked ok when I kegged it also. So no film on top or any kind of strange looking things floating in it.

Recipe:
8# Candian 2-row
2# Munich
8oz Caravienne
8oz Caramunich
8oz Aromatic

Vanguard Hops (60min)
Sterling Hope (1 min)

WLP820 White Labs - Octoberfest/Marzen Lag
Whirfloc

Thanks,
Tim
 
If you can find a commercial example of an octoberfest still try one out. They have a certain taste to them from the vienne or munich malts, I'm not sure which one, that has a different taste I wasn't first used to. When I see a dark colored beer I automatically think malty, sweet, caramel but with munich and vienne it is malty but a different malty taste.

and with my sub par flavor description capabilities I leave it at that....


edit: it's Munich I am thinking about. I taste it in Oktoberfests and pumpkin ales that are made with fair amounts of Munich malt. good, just different.
 
Here is mine that I brew in March and lager all summer long. I pop the top usually in the fall at the end of September or begging of October. Its a long wait but it goes fast so fast that I am planning on 20g early next spring.


Recipe: Ür-Märzen Oktoberfestbier
Brewer: Robert Coughlin
Asst Brewer:
Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Boil Size: 12.62 gal
Estimated OG: 1.067 SG
Estimated Color: 9.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 23.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 32.65 %
8.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 32.65 %
7.50 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 30.61 %
0.50 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 2.04 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 2.04 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (90 min) Hops 8.4 IBU
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (90 min) Hops 14.8 IBU
0.50 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Munich Lager (Wyeast Labs #2308) Yeast-Lager


Mash Schedule: Temperature Mash, 2 Step, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 24.50 lb
----------------------------
Temperature Mash, 2 Step, Full Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min Protein Rest Add 30.63 qt of water at 129.3 F 122.0 F
90 min Saccharification Heat to 158.0 F over 15 min 158.0 F
10 min Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F
 
What did you ferment it at?

Well, unfortunately I didn't realize and Octoberfest was a lager brew and fermented it as an ale so like 65-68. Honestly, I just realized it was a lager type brew today after posting this thread. I suspect that has something to do with my problems.

It was in the primary for like 2 weeks then into secondary for a week then I moved the secondary to the freezer at like 40 for two more weeks. Its been in the freezer in a keg ever since.

Honestly, I did my first lager this past week so back in June when I brewed it I hadn't done any kind of lager education before brewing this one.

Anyway, looks like it might be trash but I may just bottle it and keep it in the freezer for another 6 months or so. Sounds like TulsaStageHand lets his lager a long time but I'm sure it is lagered at the start.

Cheers
 
I had a friend who did something similar, he had requested an ale yeast be sub'ed for his Octoberfest kit but they sent a lager yeast. It wasn't until it was bottled and tasting funky that he realized his error. The beer was drinkable, but not very enjoyable. It ended up down the drain.
 
Sounds like TulsaStageHand lets his lager a long time but I'm sure it is lagered at the start.

Cheers

Yes I lager mine for the whole summer. After all the research I did it was suggested, however, that particular recipe calls for many months of lagering. Most lagers are 2 to 3 months ageing for best results.
 

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