Help tweaking Oktoberfest

[Mountainsax]

We brewed an Oktoberfest/Marzen recently and I’d like some input on tweaking it a bit. It was our second lager and turned out pretty good (scored 44 from our HBC).

The two biggest comments were that it had a little alcohol heat at the end, and that it needed more malt flavor. Otherwise it was great.

Recipe:
5lbs German Pilsner
4lbs Munich
1lb caramunich
3lbs Vienna

Hallertau hops (1.5oz 60 min, 0.5oz 30 min, 1.0oz 10 min)

2 packs Wyeast Bavarian Lager 2206
- 2L starter on stir plate for 40 hrs

Salts in mash (RO water)
2g CaCl
2g baking soda
4g gypsum

Mashed 151F for 60min, raised to 168F for mashout. Mash pH 5.4

OG 1.062, FG 1.015

Ferment:
50F 4 Days, raised 6 deg/day to 65F
Lagered at 31-35F for 3 weeks

Force carb

 

[Mountainsax]

A few thoughts I have had to add malt and lower/balance out alcohol.

1) add 1/4 lb more caramunich
2) add slightly more calcium to balance more toward malt
3) two step fermentation - 148 then 154
4) decoction mash

I’m wary about changing the fermentation because it had a great balance of malty sweetness to dry finish.

Thoughts?

 

[ba-brewer]

With a score of 44 I would leave it alone, especially if you think it is good/OK. You are only at about 6% and a fairly high FG does not seem like that would have too much of a alcohol bite, maybe just some time lagering to smooth it out more.

 

[seabrew8]

We brewed an Oktoberfest/Marzen recently and I’d like some input on tweaking it a bit. It was our second lager and turned out pretty good (scored 44 from our HBC).

The two biggest comments were that it had a little alcohol heat at the end, and that it needed more malt flavor. Otherwise it was great.

Recipe:
5lbs German Pilsner
4lbs Munich
1lb caramunich
3lbs Vienna

Hallertau hops (1.5oz 60 min, 0.5oz 30 min, 1.0oz 10 min)

2 packs Wyeast Bavarian Lager 2206
- 2L starter on stir plate for 40 hrs

Salts in mash (RO water)
2g CaCl
2g baking soda
4g gypsum

Mashed 151F for 60min, raised to 168F for mashout. Mash pH 5.4

OG 1.062, FG 1.015

Ferment:
50F 4 Days, raised 6 deg/day to 65F
Lagered at 31-35F for 3 weeks

Force carb

If you want more malt flavor increase the percentage of Munich? Maybe drop a pound of pilsner or vienna for munich?

Even add 5% of meladonin?

Its looks modeled from BCS. I'm not totally sure but i believe Jamil said that recipe was not a great one for an all grain bill. Just the extract version. I read it somewhere but never confirmed it. They were talking about using more munich i believe and less vienna. Just FYI i'm unsure.

 

[Mountainsax]

With a score of 44 I would leave it alone, especially if you think it is good/OK. You are only at about 6% and a fairly high FG does not seem like that would have too much of a alcohol bite, maybe just some time lagering to smooth it out more.

It’s definitely a good beer, and I don’t want to mess it up! I like the idea to lager longer and see if the alcohol will smooth out. Thanks!

 

[Mountainsax]

If you want more malt flavor increase the percentage of Munich? Maybe drop a pound of pilsner or vienna for munich?

Even add 5% of meladonin?

Its looks modeled from BCS. I'm not totally sure but i believe Jamil said that recipe was not a great one for an all grain bill. Just the extract version. I read it somewhere but never confirmed it. They were talking about using more munich i believe and less vienna. Just FYI i'm unsure.

Absolutely right, it is the recipe from BCS! I hadn’t thought of trading Vienna for Munich. Thanks!

 

[seabrew8]

Absolutely right, it is the recipe from BCS! I hadn’t thought of trading Vienna for Munich. Thanks!

Actually, thinking of it now, they were referring to Jamils Vienna in BCS i believe. It was not an authentic vienna recipe. Again not totally sure it was one or the other.

 

[cactusgarrett]

I would skip the decoction and use melanoidin. I've done both in a marzen, and (to me) they were indistinguishable. Easier to just add the grain. Other than that, I would suggest mash higher (154F, skip the lower rest) and ferment lower (48F).

 

[dmtaylor]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Lefou]

Two German breweries put out great seasonal examples of lighter Festbiers and Marzen you could compare against, and that's Paulaner and Weihenstephaner. At this time of year I search high and low for them and gleefully walked off a couple days ago with a case of Freising's finest.

You could drop the Vienna for Munich or keep the Vienna and decoction boil it separately, then add back.

 

[Mountainsax]

[emoji12] I just picked up a six pack of each!

Thanks for all the tips and ideas. Can’t wait to brew this again.