Festbier Oktoberfest (1st place, scored 42)

[lstrowge]

Recipe Type

All Grain

Yeast

Wyeast 2633 Octoberfest Lager Blend

Yeast Starter

Yes

Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter

2L

Batch Size (Gallons)

5.5

Original Gravity

1.058

Final Gravity

1.014

Boiling Time (Minutes)

90

IBU

24

Color

13

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

7 @ 54

Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

2 @ 70

Additional Fermentation

180 @ 38 (Lagered)

Tasting Notes

Smooth, Clean, Malty but not too sweet

Took 1st place in the 2012 Novembeerfest competition held at Larry's Brewing Supply, Kent Wa. This was my second competition entered (got two 2nd places out of three entries for the first comp), 1st entry for this beer.

Brewed it in early April 2012 and tapped it Mid Sept, bottled 3 12oz bottles after my 2nd Annual Oktoberfest Party. I actually had two versions of this beer, one with Bavarian Lager yeast and the second with the Octoberfest Lager Blend yeast.


Grain Bill (90 min mash @ 152 deg)

5.5 lbs Munich
5.5lbs Pilsner
1lbs, 4 oz. Caramunich
3 oz Hallertaur (2.5%) - Boil 6o min

I would have added the Beersmith file but not sure how to do so.

 

[nitrousjunkie]

Brewing this tonight. Going to see how it comes out once I get back from this next deployment.:rockin:

 

[TahoeRy]

I see you added the lager yeast, did you lager it? I am assuming so.

 

[nitrousjunkie]

Just had a sample from my hydro jar.....it's good. Going to be a lot better once I get back in about seven months.

 

[musikguru6]

Probably a dumb question. Are you doing the secondary fermentation after the 180 day lagering phase, or before?

 

[Jokenring]

Probably a dumb question. Are you doing the secondary fermentation after the 180 day lagering phase, or before?

He would do that before. The 2 days at 70 is a diacytel rest.

 

[lstrowge]

He would do that before. The 2 days at 70 is a diacytel rest

Yep. 2 day Diacytel and up to 6 months in the fridge at Lagering temps. Made another batch in April (used the Ocotoberfest Lager yeast), it should be ready for my Oktoberfest Party in mid-Sept.

 

[Kayakr1988]

Took 1st place in the 2012 Novembeerfest competition held at Larry's Brewing Supply, Kent Wa. This was my second competition entered (got two 2nd places out of three entries for the first comp), 1st entry for this beer.

Brewed it in early April 2012 and tapped it Mid Sept, bottled 3 12oz bottles after my 2nd Annual Oktoberfest Party. I actually had two versions of this beer, one with Bavarian Lager yeast and the second with the Octoberfest Lager Blend yeast.

Grain Bill (90 min mash @ 152 deg)

5.5 lbs Munich
5.5lbs Pilsner
1lbs, 4 oz. Caramunich
3 oz Hallertaur (2.5%) - Boil 6o min

I would have added the Beersmith file but not sure how to do so.

I can't find any hallertaur hops with a alpha of 2.5. The only thing I have seen is at 4.8? Where did you get your hops?

 

[homebrewdad]

I can't find any hallertaur hops with a alpha of 2.5. The only thing I have seen is at 4.8? Where did you get your hops?

Just adjust your hops accordingly - i.e. use about half the recipe amount.

 

[crusader1612]

Took 1st place in the 2012 Novembeerfest competition held at Larry's Brewing Supply, Kent Wa. This was my second competition entered (got two 2nd places out of three entries for the first comp), 1st entry for this beer.

Brewed it in early April 2012 and tapped it Mid Sept, bottled 3 12oz bottles after my 2nd Annual Oktoberfest Party. I actually had two versions of this beer, one with Bavarian Lager yeast and the second with the Octoberfest Lager Blend yeast.


Grain Bill (90 min mash @ 152 deg)

5.5 lbs Munich
5.5lbs Pilsner
1lbs, 4 oz. Caramunich
3 oz Hallertaur (2.5%) - Boil 6o min

I would have added the Beersmith file but not sure how to do so.

Looks a Solid Recipe. Just finished up on a NZ Pilsner, so the slurry from this W34/70 might well go here.

 

[Cyclman]

More proof a great beer doesn't require an overly complicated recipe. Congrats on the score!

 

[lstrowge]

Quick update, I put this one in for the Washington State Fair Beer (Previously Puyallup Fair) Competition this year and it took First place in Octoberfest/Marzen (scored a 40). I also got a Best in Category Rosette but I wasn't at the awards ceremony and it didn't list which beer on the award or the award sheet. I think it was this one as the other 1st place was a Chili Pepper Pale Ale that also scored high. Waiting on word of which one. All in all the tunr out was low for the Beer comp but still proud of taking another first place for this beer.

My family and friends are pretty much demanding it stay on tap year round.

 

[djturner]

Congrats on the score. Going to brew this soon. Curious...Did you make a starter for the Oktoberfest Lager Blend or just pitch it straight? Thanks for the recipe!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[lstrowge]

2L Starter for a 5 gal batch. It really helps to get it going and minimize the lag.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[wobdee]

Im thinking of brewing a similar Ofest but this recipe seems like there's a lot of caramunich in there. Do you think its a little sweet from that much? I think I may cut that in half.

 

[Jcruse]

I'm looking to brew this in the next month or so to be ready in time for Oktoberfest this fall. I had a question on your secondary fermentation. Did you rack to a new carboy, or do you just raise the temp on the primary carboy?

 

[djturner]

Not sure about the Original Poster, but after 5-7 days I raised the temp on mine to 65 for a couple days, then racked to a clean carboy and lagered at 35 for 6 weeks.
Google "yeast autolysis".
Cheers!
djturner

 

[lstrowge]

Jcruse, I raise the temp to 66 for a diacytel rest after about 6 to 7 days then slowly drop to 38, 2 deg a day, then transfer to secondary and lager at 36 for 3 months. After that it goes in a keg and sits until my Oktoberfest bash. Caution! Carbing early MAY result in less beer available. Just sayin'.

 

[lstrowge]

Another update: Took 1st in the Novembeerfest comp last year for this again and it was selected for the Pro-Am brew this time. I have updated the recipe a bit.

50% German Pils
40.1 Munich
9.1% Caramunich

24 ibu Hallertau (adjust for your AA) all at 60min
I tend to go to the high end of the style.

152f mash
90 min boil

Prost!

 

[motobrewer]

Brewing this in a few weeks.

 

[Jcruse]

Can I ask why you're doing a 90 min mash? Is it because the Pilsner is less well-modified than other grains? This beer will be my first lager, and first time using Pilsner malt.

 

[opiate82]

What effect do you think yeast selection has on this recipe? I already have some 2206 (Bavarian Lager) in my yeast bank and was wondering if subbing in that would be much of a difference?

 

[lstrowge]

Jcruse, the 90 min was for the boil (Drives off the DMS) I do sometimes go 90 min on the mash but only because I have to wait for the 110V heater to get my sparge water to temp.

Opiat82, not sure about the yeast differences, I do know that the Oktoberfest blend drops clear really fast. The brewer doing my recipe is actually using the Bohemian lager since that's what he uses most and apparently it is the main strain in the Oktoberfest blend.

 

[Zerocrew1984]

Thanks for posting your recipe. The time to lager is pretty daunting. Any thoughts on this?

http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

 

[wobdee]

Thanks for posting your recipe. The time to lager is pretty daunting. Any thoughts on this?

http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

I ferment my lagers with a similar schedule and they are drinkable after two weeks of lagering but I have found 2-3 weeks more is better. Recently I bought another keg (6 total) so I can have a good lager pipe line and I don't have to tap a keg until it has lagered for 6 weeks.

 

[lstrowge]

Thanks for posting your recipe. The time to lager is pretty daunting. Any thoughts on this?

http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

I actually used that method for a quick re-brew in December. It was good after about 4 weeks but got smoother the longer it was in the keg. I think only i noticed the difference as my friends drained the 10 gals in shortorder. The re-brew was good enough to get brewed by an almost local brewer for a Pro-am. I actually spent the day yesterday brewing it with them. Cool experience.

 

[Jcruse]

I just kegged a batch of this recipe that I brewed up in late March. It already tasted so good that I drank the 2 flat pints that wouldn't fit in my keg. I love how simple and straightforward the recipe is, and how good it turns out! I used w-34/70 for the yeast, and it left the beer super-clean and malty tasting.

Can't wait for this to carb up and condition a little bit more, but I guarantee this won't last until September. I'll have to do a rebrew in the next month or so...

 

[lstrowge]

Nice wobde! Need to get mine going soon. I've been catching up from a St Pat's day slaughter.

 

[Bucks-04]

Jcruse, the 90 min was for the boil (Drives off the DMS) I do sometimes go 90 min on the mash but only because I have to wait for the 110V heater to get my sparge water to temp.

Opiat82, not sure about the yeast differences, I do know that the Oktoberfest blend drops clear really fast. The brewer doing my recipe is actually using the Bohemian lager since that's what he uses most and apparently it is the main strain in the Oktoberfest blend.

Your response confuses me now. In your org post you said 90min mash 60 min boil. Your response now, is 60 min mash and 90 min boil?

 

[lstrowge]

Your response confuses me now. In your org post you said 90min mash 60 min boil. Your response now, is 60 min mash and 90 min boil?

I went back and looked and the reference to the Hallertau and 60 minute boil should have been "addition at 60min left". The boil is 90 minutes. Sometimes my Mash goes longer than 60 only because I have to wait for the sparge water to heat up.

Another update too, the Pro-am with Reuben's took a Silver at the Washington Beer awards. Pretty happy with that. GABF is next.