Help cloning Paulaner Oktoberfest Weisn beer

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I agree that this and their Marzen are the best Oktoberfests (with the edge going to the Wiesn).

I have an attempt at the Marzen that I should be bottling this weekend that I think may not be quite 'Marzeny' enough, so it could be a decent jumping off point...

Have you checked out their website?
https://www.paulaner.com/us/products/oktoberfest-beers/oktoberfest-wiesn#tabid_Ingredients

https://www.paulaner.com/us/products/oktoberfest-beers/oktoberfest-marzen#tabid_Ingredients


There's also this gem sitting out there.
http://www.tastybrew.com/forum/thread/140322

I'd think maybe a 60/40 or a 50/50 split on the Munich and Pils would be a decent start for the Wiesn...

Also, based on the (no) responses to my thread about the Marzen, this may end up being you and me attempting this one...:tank:
 
Thanks for the links. I had found the one link with Christians Email ([email protected]) and he still works there. Wrote back pretty quick.

The email I received back is pasted below. Sounds like Paulaner has a "House Strain" Anyone have a sample lol


I was thinking a 70/30 split pils and Munich and a 60/5 charge of Hallertau.
I have some WLP830 to try as well. The only thing I haven't tried is RO water with added chemicals for a Munich profile. Maybe that's where I've been missing so I put one together if you want to take a look.

So here's what I have so far
EDITED 9/28

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Weisn
Brewer: Divrguy
Asst Brewer:
Style: Munich Helles
TYPE: All Grain
EST ABV 6.0%

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.87 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.47 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.75 gal
Estimated OG: 1.055 SG
Estimated Color: 6.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 18.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 73.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
7 lbs 5.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 68.8 %
3 lbs 3.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 30.0 %
2.1 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 3 1.2 %
0.75 oz Hallertauer Tradition [5.50 %] - Boil 60 Hop 4 16.0 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -
0.50 oz Hallertauer Tradition [5.50 %] - Boil 5. Hop 6 2.1 IBUs
1.0 pkg German Lager (White Labs #WLP830) [35.49 Yeast 7 -

WATER PROFILE TRYING TO ACHIEVE is Attached below.

So, taking Straight RO and going for the profile my additions are
Add 2.4 Grams Calc Chlouride
Add 2.6 Grams Epsom Salt
Add 2Oz Acid Malt to Mash

Gives me this profile
Calcium Magnesium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Chloride / Sulfate
(Ca ppm) (Mg ppm) (Na ppm) (Cl ppm) (SO4 ppm) Ratio
22...............8...............0.............38..............33..........1.14

Mail.jpg


Water_91_Helles.gif
 
Is this the lighter colored Festbier? I think a 50/50 Pils/ Munich may turn out too dark? Maybe cut the Munich in half with Vienna?

I just brewed a lighter Festbier at 5 SRM with 75/Pils, 15/Vienna, 5/Munich, 5/Carahell. Hallertau Mitt FWH/60 at 24 IBU and WY2124. I'm looking forward to this one.
 
That's way too complicated for a German Beer. I could go 70/30 Maybe..
 
That's way too complicated for a German Beer. I could go 70/30 Maybe..

Maybe maybe not. I've heard the modern style Weisen is nothing more than a stronger Helles nowadays so I just tweaked my Helles recipe. 70/30 Pils/Munich sounds yummy as well.
 
Just received another response from Christian that a 70/30 split would be the correct grain bill. So I'll update the recipe tonight.
 
He's not too chatty but he's still answering lol. He just mentions 30% Munich. In Beersmith, I just used Munich. Today I asked about the mash schedule and the Hop schedule. Hope he answers. Here's his response Today.

Untitled.jpg
 
Well, it's still pretty awesome your getting replys. I'd keep it up and try and get any little tidbit you can. Usually the German brewers are pretty tight lipped.
 
The 2001 May/June publication of Zymurgy has an article on Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen and offers a clone. I haven't tried it but I've been saving this magazine all these years hoping to make it sometime. This thread reminded me that I need to get around to making it!
 
I've been trying to find someone with that issue. Help us out hio3791
 
I found it. It's from a brewery in Wisconsin and I don't know that I'd call it a 'clone'. It's mostly pils with some cara-whatevers....no Munich.
 
I've been trying to find someone with that issue. Help us out hio3791

Sure.

5 gal recipe

8 lb German or Belgian Pilsener
8 oz Cara-foam
8 oz Cara-Munich
8 oz Cara-Vienne

Mash grains using single or double decoction. *No temperature specifics for main mash.

0.5 oz Tettnanger 45 min
0.75 oz Hallertauer 30 min
0.75 oz Hallertauer 15 min
0.5 oz Hallertauer 5 min

Munich or Bavarian lager yeast

OG 1.056
FG 1.014
 
That's the Oktoberfest Marzen. That looks very yummy! Thanks for sharing that one.
 
Well no more responses so I'll take a stab next weekend hopefully at the above recipe
 
That's the one I found.
I just bottled my attempt at the Marzen. (Munich and Pils only)
Will report back when it's carbed.
 
Brewing my attempt at a Festbier on Sunday. Like you guys, it's been difficult finding a lot of info. After reading a few articles I may add some Vienna Malt (I'm not necessarily going after the Paulaner version). Really awesome the guy even emailed back once!
 
I ended up taking a stab at the Marzen. 70% Munich + 30% Pilsner, Hallertau Hops, and w34/70 yeast.
Turned out really nice.

May try the Wiesn this year.
 
Brewed mine as well yesterday. I ended up going with 68% pilsner 18% Munich 10% Vienna and 4% Acidulated. 24 IBUs of Hallertau with WLP830 and should finish out at about 6% ABV. I'll update how close it comes to a Wiesen.
 
Just found this thread. I would like to try it. How did it turn out, divrguy? Can you post an update of your recipe?

Did anyone else try it? What were the results?

Thanks.
 
I currently have two versions (from 1.5-2.5 gallons) in the process of cold crashing over the next few days. Will post results when finished!
 
Noticed a lot of similarities in fermentation character with WLP838 and some of Paulaner's beers, particularly in St. Thomas. Not necessarily the same strain but definitely close.
 
Here is the first experiment...
...Looks very nice, but there is something off slightly about it taste/smell wise. Not bad, just not quite right. Slightly thin/cider-ish. Maybe subtle acetaldehyde. Not completely convinced though.
Will try the other experimental batch when it is done carbing up and post results accordingly
 

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Here is the first experiment...
...Looks very nice, but there is something off slightly about it taste/smell wise. Not bad, just not quite right. Slightly thin/cider-ish. Maybe subtle acetaldehyde. Not completely convinced though.
Will try the other experimental batch when it is done carbing up and post results accordingly
Did you pitch a good healthy supply of yeast? Did you crash it? How long after you added the yeast did you lager it?
 
Did you pitch a good healthy supply of yeast? Did you crash it? How long after you added the yeast did you lager it?
Proper yeast amount pitched per Beersmith. I crash around 2 degrees every few hours as to not crash too quickly. Lagering time was approximately 5 weeks.
 
Proper yeast amount pitched per Beersmith. I crash around 2 degrees every few hours as to not crash too quickly. Lagering time was approximately 5 weeks.
That crashing still seems too fast. Chris White (White's Lab) and Jamil Zainasheff recommends dropping the temperature not more than about 2 or 3 degrees per day. After final gravity has been reached, it should continue to condition for a week or so before dropping to under 40 F and lagering. I usually do a diacetyl rest at about 60 F for 2 or 3 days, transfer it to a keg, then drop the temperature about 2 or 3 degrees per day, let it sit above 40 F for a week or so, then bring it down to near zero.
 
That crashing still seems too fast. Chris White (White's Lab) and Jamil Zainasheff recommends dropping the temperature not more than about 2 or 3 degrees per day. After final gravity has been reached, it should continue to condition for a week or so before dropping to under 40 F and lagering. I usually do a diacetyl rest at about 60 F for 2 or 3 days, transfer it to a keg, then drop the temperature about 2 or 3 degrees per day, let it sit above 40 F for a week or so, then bring it down to near zero.
Dropping 2 degrees F every 4-5 hours may have been too quick. It has never given me issues before, but it is very possible. I plan on brewing a 2 gallon test batch to see what happens. Thanks!
 
It's that time of the year when I hunt down every lead at local liquor stores and buy out the Paulaner Oktoberfest Weisn on hand. Best Oktoberfest I've ever tasted when I was in Germany.

Anyone have a spot on "Clone"?
View attachment 371596

OK, just to clarify something...you typed in "Weisn". That's a variation of the word wheat, as in Hefe Weizen.

When I looked over the recipes I noticed there was no wheat malt in the ingredients list and commenters were talking about dropping temperatures I knew right away that something was amiss.

The Oktoberfest Marzen is a "wiesn", not a "weisn". "Wies" means meadow/field.

FYI: I lived 40 miles from Munich (4 years) during my first tour there. Twenty years later I was stationed in Bamberg (5 years).
 
Any updates on brewing this beer? One thing I did find is that there are only two hop additions. The first (60 minutes) is Herkules. The second is similar to Hallertauer Tradition. I'm not sure when it's added. The malt varieties are indeed Pilsner malt and Munich malt. The water is a soft well water. I think divrguy's recipe looks reasonable, except that the bitter hops should be Herkules rather than Hallertauer Tradition, and perhaps the flavour hops should be added a little sooner (15 minutes left in boil?).
 
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