Oktoberfest.. NAILED IT!

Cracked open my first bottle of Oktoberfest and it's wonderful!

My third brew overall and the first one that I really hit all my marks on. Very happy brewer here....

So what to brew next...???

AWESOME! Now a Bock with maybe a double decoction??

I got into homebrewing with an Oktoberfest in mind, but timing of my birthday/receipt of my gifts (ie. brewing paraphernalia) prohibited it. (I know I could brew anything anytime, but if rather have an Oktoberfest come into its own in September as is tradition.)

Anyway, my question. If the recipe is good, would you share it? Especially if it is extract-based. Not ready to get into AG yet, but even if the recipe is all grain, post it for others (and me on the chance I am ready for AG by next July-ish). Thanks and congrats on a successful brew!

Why would anyone not share a recipe with other homebrewers??

cooper said:

Why would anyone not share a recipe with other homebrewers??

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I don't know but sometimes you'll find a homebrewer that won't. It's particularly ridiculous when they ask for help with a flaw in the beer but refuse to give the recipe. It's like going to the doctor and telling them you have a problem but not telling them what it is or how it happened.

I think you're ready for a turbid mash now!

But seriously...good for you. My first wild success was a brown ale. I still make it 3 years later.

cooper said:

Why would anyone not share a recipe with other homebrewers??

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Not sure, but considering I can't wrestle the OP into submission via a forum, I figured I would be courteous and ask as opposed to demanding. If he has reasons, so be it. I can likely find about a million and six Oktoberfest recipes via a google search, but I figured (as you probably did) that if he was proud of his recipe he may be proud to share.

I know what happens when I ASS.U.ME.

Absolutely. And I wasn't trying to say that he wasn't going to share; I guess I've just never ran into a person who wasnt willing to share a recipe before. Especially since most of the time they've received it from somewhere else. And the people who don't want to share are the ones who should be punched in the nose anyway right!?

cooper said:

Absolutely. And I wasn't trying to say that he wasn't going to share; I guess I've just never ran into a person who wasnt willing to share a recipe before. Especially since most of the time they've received it from somewhere else. And the people who don't want to share are the ones who should be punched in the nose anyway right!?

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Agreed. I probably misunderstood your original post after I asked for the recipe. You seemed to be commenting that asking was the wrong approach (guessing now that was not your meaning).

I figured there were two ways to let OP know that I wanted the recipe - asking him for it or demanding it. Asking seemed the more diplomatic approach. Again, I probably misunderstood your meaning which is easy to do on a forum like this.

No worries! I do it all the time.

I'll post the recipe tomorrow. I used a California Lager yeast, so it has lager qualities. Stylistically, it is not perfect, but better than that, it's perfect for my liking!

Congrats! I couldn't get a fermentation chamber in time for the Oktoberfest to be on schedule but next year, u can bet your ass ill be brewing one up!

Still wondering...was this extract or AG?

Since I'm not up to lagering yet either, I'm signed on. Using a California Lager yeast sounds tasty and worth trying. So far I've used US-05 and BRY-97 for 3 batches of Oktoberfest themed ale. The BRY-97 and the second US-05 are still in carboys. I think I'll run my recipe a couple more times with Kolsch and California when the basement gets a little cooler to see how they turn out. I'd love to start tweaking the recipe, but I better just get a decent yeast first. The ones I've used are in no way ideal, although 05 worked well enough.

Seasonal...bah! If I stick to my guns we'll be drinking Oktoberfest in March!

Ok, sorry for the delay... here's the recipe....

4lb Alexander's Pale Malt Extract
3.3lb Briess Munich Extract
3/4lb Weyermann Caramunich I 48L
1/2lb Munton & Fison Carapils Malt 20L

1 1/2oz Tettnang Hop Pellets (Bittering) - 60 mins
1/2oz Tettnang Hop Pellets (Flavoring) - 10 mins

Wyeast #2112 XL California Lager Yeast

- Steep grains for 30 mins in 1.5 gallons of water and remove
- Bring to boil, remove from heat and add malt extract. Dissolve.
- Return to heat, bring to boil and add bittering hops.
- With 10 mins left add flavoring hops.
- Remove from heat, cool.
- Add cooled wort to 2 gallons of cold water in fermenter and top off to 5 gallons.
- Add prepared yeast.

I only fermented in the primary fermenter and did not move to a secondary (optional according to the recipe). Bottle as usual. My temps were in the upper 60's to 70 degrees and it came out great. Like I said, maybe not stylistically perfect, but I'm really enjoying it!

This recipe is from Keystone Homebrewing in Pennsylvania. Their statistics are as follows -
Original Gravity - 1.059
Final Gravity - 1.018
Alcohol Content - 5.2%

Enjoy!

Thanks! I'm definitely putting this in my queue of beers to brew. I've been trying to keep a list because I keep thinking of cool beers I would like to try and then forgetting what I thought of. Saving this recipe now...

Thanks again.

Can I ask what you used to bottle condition? Priming sugar, DME, honey? How much? Thanks.

And what steep temp? About 150-160f? I've heard the steep temp for extract brews is not hat critical, but I am not experienced enough to know for sure.

Priming sugar and steeped between 145 and 155.