Oktoberfest Ale...What Yeast To Use?

[kjung]

I'm working on a recipe for an Ofest Ale that I plan on brewing for a party in early Sept. I don't have lagering capabilities, and I need it too soon to lager even if I did.

The question that I'm battling now is which yeast to use. Do I use an Ofest ale, and ferment it at a slightly higher temp (using the "swamp cooler" method), or do I just use a German Ale yeast?

 

[bknifefight]

Ed Wort has an OktoberFest Ale recipe using Kolsch yeast that I am going to try out this year.

 

[bucfanmike]

heres a highly regarded BM octoberfest ale https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f63/biermunchers-oktoberfast-ale-ag-39021/

 

[dtfeld]

I made a Octoberfest style in January of this year using White labs WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast. It a ale/lager yeast combo with an optimum fermentation temp of 65F-70F. My basement during that time was about 62 deg F. I was trying to knock off Sam Adams.

It came pretty close but has a little bit of an estery profile I could do without. I kegged it in February and have it lagering in my keezer at 42 deg F. I pull a pint every now and then and the estery profile continues to diminish and the malt/hops come through more and more. I don't think you have the time frame for this.

The other yeast that was recommended to me was Cry Havoc. This yeast can make an ale or a lager depending on temp. I have no experience with this strain.

Also I would try WLP060 American Ale Yeast. Optimum temp is 68-72 with high attenuation and accentuates hops with a "clean flavor" profile. When I make this recipe again, I'm going to use this yeast.

I have made this same recipe with a lager yeast years ago when I had a lagering fridge and it was a truly clean lager flavor, but I'll have to wait till I have another fridge to do that again.

 

[g-star]

I would try the San Fransico lager yeast (810?) if you can ferment in the low 60's. That produces the cleanest (non-estery) beers at ale fermentation temps that I have tried. Nontheless, ale characterstics will still be noticeable.

I tried the BM recipe reference above last year, and it was a nice malty ale, but not really in the same ballpark as a real oktoberfest. The English yeast strain he uses makes for a relatively fruity beer, especially in the context of an oktoberfest/marzen.

 

[Fetus]

I've made two Oktoberfests with WLP820, Both of which turned into Diacytl bombs, despite doing diacytl rests. I do NOT recommend this yeast!

I just brewed another one using WLP830. It's almost ready for a diacytl rest, so here's hoping this one is better.

 

[Germelli1]

I used Pacman for a psuedo lager oktocberfest. I ferment it areound 60-64 and it is very clean. Same thing would go for pretty much any of the common dry yeasts (US05, US04, Notty, WLP056, etc)

 

[permo]

I would use Pacman at 60 degrees or WLP029@ about 64 degrees. The key will be to mash a little higher so it doesn't finish to dry and suck the delicious O-fest maltiness right out of the beer.

 

[kjung]

My LHBS, and my back-up, only carries Wyeast and a few dry yeasts, so the WLP's aren't really an option. I'm leaning towards the German Ale, the Kolsch, or as I said, the OFest at a slightly higher temp (using the swamp cooler, I SHOULD be able to get the fermenter down to around 60....

 

[Germelli1]

I have never bought pacman before and I use it for 90% of the beers I brew.

Unless you consider a 22 oz bottle a yeast vial

 

[Laikacosmonaut]

You don't have lagering equipment, but do you have any means of temperature control? This is not a Octoberfest friendly season that we are in, and if you can't keep the temperature in the 60's things might be drastically out of style... Even the pseudofest beers require low-temp ferments...

 

[trojandux]

I used wyeast 1007 german ale and kept it in the basement in a water bath in a colmen cooler at around 64 F and it turned out very nice. If the temp went up I just through in a couple frozed waterbottles. The Krausen took a while to go away. It is sitting in the bottle now and turned out pretty good.

 

[Germelli1]

You don't have lagering equipment, but do you have any means of temperature control? This is not a Octoberfest friendly season that we are in, and if you can't keep the temperature in the 60's things might be drastically out of style... Even the pseudofest beers require low-temp ferments...

Swamp cooler. My basement flucuates between 64-68, so I keep the cooler temps arounf 57-58 (meaning the fermenter is at 63). Pacman at this temp works a bit slower, but its beautifully clean. As soon as the Krausen falls (10-12 days at these temps) I let it warm up to ambient for 2-3 days and it cleans up any off flavors that snuck in.

Not perfect, but hey, it makes some damn clean tasting beer!

 

[barrooze]

+1 for WLP029 Kolsch at 62F. It'll turn out great.

 

[nspringstead]

Currently in 3rd week of fermenting EdWort's recipe with Kolsch yeast. I have no temp control either and my basement is currently 67 F. Hope it turns out ok.

 

[bknifefight]

Currently in 3rd week of fermenting EdWort's recipe with Kolsch yeast. I have no temp control either and my basement is currently 67 F. Hope it turns out ok.

I am planning to do this recipe as well once I bottle up my yet-to-brew Kolsch.