3 week recipe?

I've got a friend throwing an Oktoberfest party on 10/13. It was iffy for a bit, and just got confirmation, but she was hoping I would be able to have a beer for the party.

Any ideas on what I can make by then? I would be kegging, so hopefully that would help.

I was figuring a Hefeweizen from what I've read here on HBT, but I tend to give my beers lots of time, so I don't want to make something sub-par.

Thoughts??

Thanks!

Kosch

Hefeweizen, British mild, lower OG pale ale, American wheat, or a cream ale (although cream ales sometimes are better with a little lagering) come to mind first.

The keys would be to keep the OG low (1.045 or lower), use well attenuating and flocculant yeast (except for a hefeweizen), pitch enough yeast, keep fermentation temperature under control, and then let it sit in the fermenter for at least 3 days after reaching FG. Don't use any "complex" malts- no roasted malts, or other malts that need time to meld/mellow.

Yooper said:

Hefeweizen, British mild, lower OG pale ale, American wheat, or a cream ale (although cream ales sometimes are better with a little lagering) come to mind first.

The keys would be to keep the OG low (1.045 or lower), use well attenuating and flocculant yeast (except for a hefeweizen), pitch enough yeast, keep fermentation temperature under control, and then let it sit in the fermenter for at least 3 days after reaching FG. Don't use any "complex" malts- no roasted malts, or other malts that need time to meld/mellow.

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Thanks Yooper! What do you think my schedule should be if I went with the Hefe, i.e. FG + 3 days then straight to keg, or say FG + N days and plan for less days in keg but force carbing (shake n bake or whatever method)?

You could easily do a hefe. Ferment 7-10 days, keg/chill 24 hours, 30psi 24 hours, serving pressure till the day of the party.

Kosch said:

Thanks Yooper! What do you think my schedule should be if I went with the Hefe, i.e. FG + 3 days then straight to keg, or say FG + N days and plan for less days in keg but force carbing (shake n bake or whatever method)?

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alright, you know I HATE hefeweizens, right?

But if I was making one, I'd ferment at optimum fermentation temperature (of course, with an appropriately sized starter), and go with FG + 3 days, or until it starts to clear. By "clear" I mean major chunks and suspended proteins, so that the beer isn't clear like other beers but not "muddy". Once clear, and it's been at least 3 days at FG, keg it. Put it at 40 degrees and hook it up to the gas at 30 psi for 36 hours. Purge, and reset to 12 psi. That should do it.

If I was taking this keg, I might be tempted to jump it to a new keg the day of the party. Not a big deal at all. But just moving it is going to resuspend a lot of crud. So what I do is simple- take two black QDs and a small length of beerline (say, 4 feet). Turn the gas down on the keg to 2 psi, and then hook up the black QD to the "out". Put the other black QD on a sanitized receiving keg on the "out", and pull the pressure relief valve on the receiving keg. Pull it every once in a while (you'll get the hang of it) and the beer will transfer, sediment free, to your new keg. Just never move the original keg, of course!

IPA. Hops will be nice and fresh.

depending on the people... i'd do a hefe (yummmm... want some, yoop? ) english milds are great, and blondes are good... blonde beers are even better

Well, unfortunately I just had to decide against trying to push this out as my weekend filled up and I just wouldn't have time until later in the week :\ BUT, I definitely appreciate all the help, I will keep this in mind for next time I need a last minute recipe Even if Yooper doesn't like Hefes...

Yooper, I especially appreciate the info on moving between kegs, I'm sure that will come in *very* handy later!

Sorry folks for the request and no follow through!

Cheers!

Kosch

Assuming your're still kegging, you could still make nearly any beer at the end of this week and still have it be drinkable in time for the party. No lagers, no imperials, no blended lambics and so on. But a mild, bitter, English brown or APA would all be fine. Pretty much every beer is done fermenting--if not necessarily in prime drinking shape--in under a week. I suppose you could make the hefe too, but if you do, Yooper and I will not be in attendance at the party.