July 26th. Too late to brew an Oktoberfest lager?

First day of Autumn is about 8 weeks away. I'd really like to have an oktoberfest lager (likely styled as a marzen) ready by then and am planning on brewing tomorrow. I will have a lagering chamber at the ready and a big starter made up. Will it still be too green for fall consumption or should I go for it?

It's too late really. Try my Oktobefest Ale (drop down menu), it uses Kolsch yeast and is very marzen like. You can ferment it cold like 60, but the main thing is it will be ready to drink in a couple of months. I'm doing one in two weeks after 10 gallons of Kolsch (dumping it on my the Kolsch yeast cake).

I think you could do it, Primary for 2 weeks and lager for 4, you can even lager at a relatively warmer temperature as well to expedite. If you want it in 8 weeks, you can primary for 2 weeks and lager at 40 for 5-6weeks. That is from Palmer's How To Brew - http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10-5.html . This all of course is assuming you will be kegging and force carbing. I have made good lagers in similar time-frames. I hope that helps, and good luck!

hmmm...a vote for nay and a vote for yeah. Ed, I was looking at doing the ale thing. Still on the fence. I suppose mid september is the goal, but I won't be dissappointed if it's not properly smooth until october some time. I really need to get better at planning brews ahead of time. Which reminds me, I've got to do do my winter warmer soon too!

An Ale will be smooth, a lager won't.

It's a bit tight, but with a few adjustments, it can be done. Keep the OG a little low for the style. That will reduce lagering times. Pitch a large starter, and get all of your temps right... particularly the initial fermentation temp. Start it below 50dF, that way you won't need a diacetyl rest.

If you really want it, I'd recommend doing it. With a slightly low OG for the style and keeping the dextrins slightly low for the style, you could ferment in 2 weeks, lager in 4-5, and the rest is just carbonation. Also, buy New Brewing Lager Beer if you don't already have it... there are a couple of tips in there for reducing lagering times.

No one says you have to start drinking the fest on Oct 1st. Get to it now and you'll be enjoying by Halloween. So far, I've only managed to NOT drink a lager for 2 months of lagering. I'm sure it could get better, but I'll probably never find out.

Wow, this question's been coming up a lot lately. Must be that time of year.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=73142
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=72757
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=71832

I'm brewing BM's OktoberFAST Ale. Ed's is supposed to be very tasty too. But. If you want to lager it, go ahead, why not!

As BM said,"It's a good all around cold weather beer. Fits the bill well as a cool weather Amber, an Irish Red and of course the caramelly goodness that is an Octoberfest.

Fromt eh first cool nights of September through the long dreary weather of MArch...it's a good sipper."

my friend made a 30 day lager that came out great. try filtering...that may help:

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/PLATE_FILTER_P468.cfm

I think it can be done, but it won't be at its peak and you'll probably have to filter it to help get it ready.

I brewed an Oktoberfest last year in mid-August to be ready for an event in early October, and it came out very good, but when I tasted it in December, it was far, far better tasting.

I filtered it and lagered it at 34 deg. F. for about 6 weeks, I think.

I think the yeast selection is important, too... I used Wyeast Octoberfest Lager blend, and it seemed to be fairly clean tasting even when the beer was young.

-Steve