First Attempt at an Oktoberfest

I know I'm late, but I figure I could use an ale yeast and have a nicely aged ale in time for October. Plus I have all the ingredients ready on hand.

6# Pils
6# Vienna
2# Munich

1.25 oz Tettnanger 4.4% AA 60 min
0.5 oz Tettnanger 4.4 AA 15 min
0.25 oz Tettnanger 4.4% 1 min

WLP029 Koslch yeast

OG 1.061
FG 1.015
IBU 23
ABV 5.9 %
SRM 8

Should look like this

Any thoughts?

If you plan on using just what you have on hand then i would tell you that looks great.

if you want to mix it up slightly pick up some hallertaer Hersbrucker hops to use in conjunction with the tett. I am of the opinion you can never use too many noble hops in a brew.

That reminds me i too need to start thinking about an Octoberfest brew. Thanks!!


Edit: I love the idea of the Kolsch yeast! Just used it in an american wheat and it is god damn teriffic!

Reverend JC said:

if you want to mix it up slightly pick up some hallertaer Hersbrucker hops to use in conjunction with the tett. I am of the opinion you can never use too many noble hops in a brew.!

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I have Hallertau Hersbrucker in inventory. They are 3.2% AA. Would you toss them in at the beginning or end of the boil?

please let me know how this turns out. Also is cold conditioning completely necessary with kolsch yeast? I have been thinking of doing a Marzen type beer with a clean fermenting ale yeast.

Ryanh1801 said:

please let me know how this turns out. Also is cold conditioning completely necessary with kolsch yeast? I have been thinking of doing a Marzen type beer with a clean fermenting ale yeast.

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Will do. I might get to it this weekend.

The Octoberfest I have going now is:

8 pounds vienna malt
1 pound munich malt
8 ounces crystal 80
8 ounces caramunich

1 ounce tettnang (5%)(40 minutes)
1 ounce hersbrucker (3.6%) (30 minutes)

(From How to brew, but I changed the flavoring hops- he had Liberty hops as the second addition) I used Octoberfest yeast.
This gives 26 IBUs.

anyway, it's very similar to your recipe. I LOVE the hersbrucker hops and it tastes pretty good right now. It still has to lager, of course, so it should be much cleaner and crisper, but I really like the flavor that the hersbrucker gave it. So, maybe do a 30 minute? Just a thought.

yopper beat me to it. The hersbrucker i would use at about 20-30 min left and a slight amount at 5 min. dont want to much hop nose, but, a little bit is always a good thing in an octoberfest.

Sounds fantastic, I've do an ale verison Oktoberfest with 1338, I've got that in the primary as we speak.

Thoughts on yours? Send me a 6er for a thorough analysis when complete!

I used the same three malts in mine (I know I know that is very common ) and used straight Hallertau iirc. Came out nice, it is bottle conditioning until the end of September!

I dunno Ed, looks pretty good. Plenty of time really for that Ale. Keep us up to date.


edit...oh wait I think I changed my recipe. It was Vienna and Munich. I ended up dropping the Pilsen, I think.

I brewed my Oktoberfest in March, just like I should have It is lagering away right now. . .

I had an American Lager yeast available, so I used that. So far it is a nice, clean tasting, Maerzen-type lager with some caramel and malty overtones.

It should be really good by September. The recipe is below:

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WLP 840
Yeast Starter: 1 Liter
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.064
Final Gravity: 1.016
IBU: 31.5
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: orange
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 52 degrees
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): lager 3 months


IRV Oktoberfest

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

03-B European Amber Lager, Oktoberfest/Maerzen

Min OG: 1.050 Max OG: 1.056
Min IBU: 20 Max IBU: 28
Min Clr: 7 Max Clr: 14 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 11.50
Anticipated OG: 1.064 Plato: 15.61
Anticipated SRM: 11.5
Anticipated IBU: 31.5
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 10.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 5.56 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.057 SG 14.13 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.5 5.00 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
43.5 5.00 lbs. Munich Malt Germany 1.037 8
8.7 1.00 lbs. Munich Malt(dark) America 1.033 20
4.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 60L America 1.034 60

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.25 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker Whole 4.75 24.9 60 min.
1.25 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker Whole 4.75 6.6 15 min.


Yeast
White Labs American Lager Yeast WLP 840 (or Bavarian lager yeast if you want a richer flavor) Either is ok.

-------------



Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Double Step

Grain Lbs: 11.50
Water Qts: 0.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 0.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 0.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Protein Rest: 122 Time 20
Saccharification Rest Temp : 152 Time: 60
Mash-out Rest Temp : 170 Time: 10
Sparge Temp : 170 Time: 60

Total Mash Volume Gal: 3.57- Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------
Drinking:
Ridgerunner Brown Ale(draft)
Flash Flood Ale (draft)
High Tide IPA (bottles )

edwort,

are those #'s malt quantities? and does this make a 5 gallon batch?

marosell said:

edwort, are those #'s malt quantities? and does this make a 5 gallon batch?

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Yep those # are pounds of grain. This should make 5.5 gallons. I try to always make 5.5 gallons so I have room for tasting, hydrometer jars, space between the bottom of my bucket fermenter and the spigot, etc.

That way I usually have a full 5 gallons to go the the keg.

yikes, im not ready to do all-grain. i need to find a recipe with canned-malt and ale yeast :cross:

Biermann said:

I brewed my Oktoberfest in March, just like I should have It is lagering away right now. . .

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Sweet! Why did you add Crystal 60L? Color? Mouthfeel? Head retension?

marosell said:

yikes, im not ready to do all-grain. i need to find a recipe with canned-malt and ale yeast :cross:

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No need to fear the beer. All Grain is pretty easy and the results are WAY worth it. Check the link below to see how easy it really is.

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/infusion/page1.php

Then get the equipment and join the club, The All Grain Club!

Hey Edwort,

That recipe looks really good. I just got the $40 bucket MLT from morebeer, so i wonder if i could actually even attempt this. I just need a bigger brew kettle.

efreem01 said:

Hey Edwort,

That recipe looks really good. I just got the $40 bucket MLT from morebeer, so i wonder if i could actually even attempt this. I just need a bigger brew kettle.

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How big is the MLT? The mash from this recipe will take up 5.5 gallons of space with a 1.25 qt/lb mash thickness.

EdWort said:

Sweet! Why did you add Crystal 60L? Color? Mouthfeel? Head retension?

Click to expand...

Just a little color/caramel note with the cleaner yeast I used. You could easily leave it out or substitute caravienne for the same effect.

EdWort said:

How big is the MLT? The mash from this recipe will take up 5.5 gallons of space with a 1.25 qt/lb mash thickness.

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I think it's a 7.9gallon bucket. I hope the false bottom doesn't take up too much room. I'll buy a brewpot at the local restaurant supply store and i'll be all set.

efreem01 said:

I think it's a 7.9gallon bucket. I hope the false bottom doesn't take up too much room. I'll buy a brewpot at the local restaurant supply store and i'll be all set.

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Maybe a quart. Good luck. I'm brewing on Sunday. I still may tweak this by adding some Caramunich or Caravienna for mouthfeel & head retention. I'm also going to move my hope addition to 60 & 20 minutes so it is closer to the BJCP style.

I just doughed in with this grain bill.

5.5# Pils
5.5# Vienna
2# Munich
0.5# Caramunich
0.5# Caravienne

Single infusion mash at 154 degrees for 90 minutes.

Update:

1 oz. Tettnang 4.4% AA at 60 min.
0.5 oz Hallertau 4.2 % AA at 30 Min
0.5 oz. Hallertau 4.2% AA at 15 min

O.G. 1.062

Sorry to necrobump a bit, but I figured I'd post here instead of making a new thread.

I'd like a recipe critique if possible as this is essentially my first go at formulating my own ingedients for a brew.

Madtown Oktoberfest
partial mash
OG: 1.056

grains:
4# german vienna
2# German munich
1# maris otter
1# Weyermann CaraHell
8 oz. Melaniodin

single infusion mash @ 154 F

2# light LME

Hops:
1 oz. Hallertauer Mittlefruh (FWH)
1 oz. tettnang (15 min)

Wyeast 2308 - munich lager
(planning on pitching a doppelbock onto the cake so this yeast seems appropriate)

Comments and suggestions? Does it need some caramel flavor like caravienne or something else?
Any thoughts on trying a decoction? If so, how much should I draw out and boil, and what temps should I rest at?
Is the 1# of 2-row necessary? or should I scrap it/replace it 'cuz it's british and not a pils?

So have you tasted this one yet Ed. Im considering ordering the stuff for this next week. Just wondering how it tasted.

Ryanh1801 said:

So have you tasted this one yet Ed. Im considering ordering the stuff for this next week. Just wondering how it tasted.

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Not yet. I have not kegged it yet. I turned down the temp on my fermentation freezer to 45 degrees before I left town. I'll probably keg it this weekend. I'll drink the hydrometer jar and let ya know. I'm looking forward to this one.

Ryanh1801 said:

So have you tasted this one yet Ed. Im considering ordering the stuff for this next week. Just wondering how it tasted.

Click to expand...

Just pulled a hydrometer sample in preparation for kegging. It's a beautiful amber color and finished out at 1.012 for 6.7% abv.

Theres a tinge of sweetness followed by malt and some hops, yet finishes dry. So far I am happy with the results. Now to let it sit in cold storage on gas for a couple of months to await October 13th, our neighborhood Oktoberfest.

So far, this recipe is a keeper.

Good to hear, now to figure out what yeast im gonna use. Im a little worried about using a Kolsch yeast, thinking of going with California ale.

I used WLP029 as it is a German yeast. Oktoberfest is a German beer. So far, I'm a happy camper on how it turned out. It will be even better after a couple weeks on CO2 as that will change the beer too.

Here's a glass of it before kegging. This is what crash cooling does for clarity. This was pulled direct from the spigot on my plastic primary left over from my 5.5 gallons after filling a keg.

mummm , my main reason for thinking of using the California ale, is I have no way to cold condition or crash cool. Best I can do is 68 degrees.

Man! Is it too late? Can I get going with this recipe in time for OCT? I've been totally engrossed in my HERMS Build, and haven't brewed in a while. Now I'm getting the itch to do something new.

ScubaSteve said:

Man! Is it too late? Can I get going with this recipe in time for OCT? I've been totally engrossed in my HERMS Build, and haven't brewed in a while. Now I'm getting the itch to do something new.

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Nope, not too late since I use a Kölsch yeast and ferment at the low end of the Ale temps. Get-R-Done this weekend!

Yeah, I might have to! Never done a Kolsh. How's that gonna compare to the classic Marzen/Oktoberfest lagers? I'm a big fan of Spaten's Oktoberfest.

I feel late to the party, but an Oktoberfest using an Ale yeast seems like a lot of fun to try. I'm planning my next few batches and might just try one with Nottingham or some US-05 yeast. I guess it all depends on how I feel when it comes time to order my ingredients.

I used a Kolsh on mine. Grain/Extract. Quite nice but I didnt boil the priming sugar so its not exactly carbing up to par. THey have been bottle conditioning for around a month at least.

I gave this a sample today after 2 months since brew day. All I can say is fricking awesome! I'm a very happy camper at how this turned out. A very tasty beer, nice balance of malt & hops, very German like and yet not heavy for a 6.7% beer.

It's gonna be a winner at my neighborhood Oktoberfest. I'm gonna bottle a few for competitions before taking the keg out there.