Festbier Bee Cave Brewery Oktoberfest Ale

[astropunk]

Hey everybody, Im brewing this recipe this weekend! Like hopalotamus, I cut the grains back just a tad. (Im using 5lbs each of Pils/Vienna instead of 5.5) Even 13lbs will be pusing my mash tun to its limit.

I am also using Wyeast Kolsh 2565 instead of the WLP029 just because thats what was available.

The rest of it I am going to try to follow to a "T"!

Im really looking forward to this one! Octoberfest is some of my all time favorite beer!

 

[Geofferson]

So who has actually used this recipe and had good results by using a traditional Oktoberfest Lager yeast? We have plenty of time to brew a 10 gallon split batch and one of us will be using an Oktoberfest lager yeast and one will be using an ale yeast. Figured a recipe close to this might be a good choice.

 

[uabericm]

I have used this recipe multiple times with different yeasts and every yeast variety has worked out great. The American Ale yeast was very good and the Okto-lager yeast was very smooth. My favorite has been Ommegang brewery yeast.

 

[Moose777]

Brewed this a few months back and just tapped it a week or so ago...I've probably brewed 50 batches of beer give or take and this is THE BEST! Both SWMBO and I agree.

This goes on the regular rotation for sure

 

[BackyardHB]

Assistance Please!
I do not have the space nor the time to do a lager. What is a great Ale yeast for this recipe? Would America or East Coast work?

 

[iparks81]

wlp029 is an Ale yeast. if you can hold the beer at 65 deg During fermentation you'll be just fine. and have a more traditional taste than using american 1056 Or wlp008 East coast.

 

[Moose777]

Yes it IS an ale. I kept my ambient temperature at about 60 and turned out fantastic

 

[BackyardHB]

wlp029 is an Ale yeast. if you can hold the beer at 65 deg During fermentation you'll be just fine. and have a more traditional taste than using american 1056 Or wlp008 East coast.

Thanks! I think I will try it.

 

[rockytoptim]

I am brewing this tomorrow. I will put this on yeast cake from Kolsch that was Ed Worts recipe as well. I anticipate that its as good as his Kolsch. Thanks Ed for sharing your awesome recipes with us.

 

[Chris Z]

any thoughts out there about using a yeast cake from Wyeast 1450 for this beer? I really like the beer, and I happen to have this yeast going right now, don't really know what I can and cannot use it for.

description says " It is unique in that it produces a big mouthfeel and accentuates the malt, caramel, or fruit character of a beer without being sweet or under-attenuated.. "

sounds to me like it should work.

cz

 

[Haputanlas]

I love the raves about this beer. Gonna give it a shot next week.

 

[Diesel48]

Went to buy ingrediants for this beer at lunch but they were out of some grains. Bought the yeast and hops for now. Cant wait to get this beer started. Cannot wait to tap it in October.

 

[mmelbert]

My friend and I just brewed this as our first AG batch. It is in the primary bubbling away. Will let everyone know the results in mid-Sept!

 

[Moose777]

I love Denny's Favorite yeast too and I happen to have an amber fermenting now but the Kolsh yeast works so nicely on this the first time I put a few vials in my frozen yeast bank sop will be doing a yeast starter.
I just placed a pretty big order from Brewmasters Warehouse and I re-ordered this recipe two times.

 

[Diesel48]

Brewed this morning, fermenting like mad right now. I cannot wait to taste!

 

[frazier]

Brewed this morning, fermenting like mad right now. I cannot wait to taste!

Ha! I beat you by one day. Brewed yesterday, fermenting like mad right now.

 

[EdWort]

It's getting to be that time soon. As soon as the Hefe is finished in the Fermenteezer, I'll be brewing up my Kolsch so to have a nice yeast cake for Oktoberfest Ale so it has time to age for my neighborhood Oktoberfest.

 

[peabody304]

I've been thinking about doing this for a while. I've got some Kolsch yeast I washed; I need to see if it's viable.

Ed, have you made any changes to your original recipe?

-peabody304

 

[EdWort]

Ed, have you made any changes to your original recipe?

Nope, but I do plan on fermenting at 60 degrees this year just for kicks.

 

[hodge]

Brewing this today Ed. Thanks again for all of your recipes, this is my 3rd Bee Cave Brew!

 

[peabody304]

I'm going to brew it on Saturday. It will be third BCB brew as well (unless you count Apfelwein which would make it number 4).

I made the BCB Kolsch recipe back in March (wife loved it), and tried washing the yeast for the first time. I made a starter on Monday out of the washed yeast and it's going very well. I'll step it up to about 1.5L tomorrow.

I think I'll to run to AHS at lunch to pick up the ingredients.

-peabody304

 

[rack04]

Is there any substitution for caravienne? I can't seem to find it locally. Also, which caramunich for this recipe, i.e. I, II, or III?

 

[EdWort]

Is there any substitution for caravienne? I can't seem to find it locally. Also, which caramunich for this recipe, i.e. I, II, or III?

Carared or Crystal 20L will work for you.

 

[GreenDragon]

In this months Zymurgy (page 9) it says not to stir the mash. Even though it gives a slightly higher efficiency it can cause oxidation. Do you stir the mash on this at all during the 90 minutes? You obviously have this brew down to an artform so I'll just follow what you do.

Thanks!

 

[EdWort]

In this months Zymurgy (page 9) it says not to stir the mash. Even though it gives a slightly higher efficiency it can cause oxidation. Do you stir the mash on this at all during the 90 minutes? You obviously have this brew down to an artform so I'll just follow what you do.

Thanks!

Really? That's interesting since commercial brewers stir mash all the time. I stir the mash to ensure even temps throughout the steeping period. When I drain into my brew kettle, my hose goes to the bottom to reduce splashing.

I guess it's all how you stir. I don't have any oxidation problems with my beers, so it works for me.

 

[GreenDragon]

Well just finished the batch. It's in my swamp cooler now. Hit 1.0614 OG which isn't bad considering I'm using a mix of extract and AG equipment.

 

[peabody304]

Mine's been fermenting at 60 degrees for about 11 days.

I plan to let it go for at least three weeks, but I was wondering if it would hurt (or change anything) to let the temp come up to 63 or 64 degrees for the last week.

I want to stick something else in the fermentation freezer, but I think I should raise the temp a few degrees. Or maybe the question is, how would S-04 do at 60 degrees? But then it's not a "Bee Cave Brewery Oktoberfest Ale" question anymore.

-peabody304

 

[bniesen]

for reference

 

[slothorentropy]

HBT & Ed--you never fail to deliver. Just ten minutes ago I thought, Man, it'd be nice to do an Oktoberfest. Too bad I'm not lagering.

 

[cjb]

Has anyone made this using WY2112 or WLP810 (the Anchor Steam strain)? It's basically a lager yeast that works at ale temps - any reason it wouldn't be suitable for an Oktoberfest?