Festbier BierMuncher's OktoberFAST Ale (AG)

[jwalk4]

I've used 04 a few times with this grain bill. I've left it for a week at 65 (thermowell), never an off flavor or misplaced ester.

I'm beginning to wonder if people sometimes mistake a beer flavor (off, or otherwise) for yeast ester, almost always with dry yeast. It seems that, when chasing a clean profile, brewers often think, "If Nottingham/04/05 is supposed to be fermented mid-sixties, it should taste like clean water at high 50's!" Even lager yeasts can impart some sweetness that accompanies the malty flavors of the beer.

All yeasts contribute their flavor. But at proper temps, 04 will not impart any associated banana, berry, or apple flavors.

Mind you, I'd like to see an authentic Oktoberfest vs. an (m)Oktoberfest vs. OktoberFAST taste off.

 

[MerlinWerks]

Out of curiosity what are you guys using for the Munich 20L?

 

[bolus14]

Briess makes a 20L, they label it as Aromatic Munich Malt

 

[Biscuits]

Bottled tonight. Disregard the haze in the sample picture. I bottle straight from the fermenter and the hydrometer sample is the first pour, so it has some sediment in it. After it ran for a while it was very clear.
Came in a little under OG when boiled @ 1.046 and finished at 1.016..so just shy of 4%ABV, but I am not complaining!

 

[GrimCityBrewer]

Sorry if this question has been addressed somewhere in the previous 76 pages of dialogue, but would there be any adverse effects to skipping the secondary and leaving for extended aging in the primary? I have 10 gallons split over two carboys of this stuff currently brewing and am having a hard time freeing up some addional vessels... Would extended aging in the primary and then straight to the keg present any issues?

 

[Biscuits]

Sorry if this question has been addressed somewhere in the previous 76 pages of dialogue, but would there be any adverse effects to skipping the secondary and leaving for extended aging in the primary? I have 10 gallons split over two carboys of this stuff currently brewing and am having a hard time freeing up some addional vessels... Would extended aging in the primary and then straight to the keg present any issues?

i never secondary.

 

[bolus14]

3-4 weeks in primary should be sufficient, no need for secondary. Not adding fruit, coffee, Brett, etc no need for secondary.

 

[Sunward33]

Brewing this this weekend. Bought all the ingredients last weekend and I figure based on what I've seen here that if I brew on the 26th, leave it in primary for three weeks, then bottle condition for two weeks, it should be ready on Halloween.
The only change I made was replacing the Tet with Saaz. My LHBS didn't have Tet. Anyone else use Saaz?

 

[DagoBrewer]

This beer it's great! Just don't brew it in august because it finishes fast, then you cold crash it, then you keg it, then it's gone by September 10th hahaha!!

 

[DagoBrewer]

Sooo... IMHO, if kegging, I'd brew this beer in early sept, let sit 2-3 weeks, cold crash then keg and carb and be drinking it halfway thru October. If you're gunna bottle condition then brew in mid August..

 

[Sunward33]

Brewed this today. Ended up mashing low, around 152 and got OG of 1.056.
I'm guessing I can expect less body and a less malty character. Hope some of the complexity from the great malt bill comes through.

 

[sikkingj]

I'm brewing 10 gallons of this now. Smells great, I'm hopeful it is ready for an October 24th Oktoberfest party!

 

[jwalk4]

Was able to squeeze this brew in to serve along with Gavin's Alt for Thanksgiving :rockin:

OG was a little high, 1.056 (my hydrometer is out of calibration by .002)

Brew Review (my impressions, at least):

Aroma - Sweet spices and dark fruits, grainy and light caramel and cereal
Appearance - As you can see, the beer is brilliantly clear and a bright, polished copper
Flavor - Again, sweet and dark fruits (I think it's the 04 or Aromatic malt giving it that vibe). Biscuit-like malt from the munich mmmmm. Hop flavor is minimal, but I can sense a tea-like astringency a little bit on the back end that I sometimes contribute to the hops.
Overall - Really a great beer. If it is the 04 giving it the dark fruit tones, I wouldn't compare it to a lager. But it is very quaffable, and perfect for the style and season!

 

[Gavin C]

Brew Review (my impressions) to come.

If you brew it review it!

 

[ahariton]

Blew through 10 gallons of this at our Oktoberfest party this weekend. Everyone loved it.

Awesome recipe!!

 

[Sunward33]

Two weeks in the fermentation bucket and the SG has been steady at 1.018 since last Sunday. Going to bottle it this weekend and then let it condition until the 24th when we're going to have a Harvest party here at our place.
The hyrdo sample looked beautiful, an iced tea brown, and a light but malty flavor. I can't wait until this is carbed up and properly aged.
Should be a hit!

 

[GrimCityBrewer]

Cracked my first bottle of this last night after two weeks conditioning...Beer was already carbed up perfectly, and had a delicious malty-sweet flavor, with enough body to keep things interesting, but light enough to knock back a few of these in one session. Not sure if anyone has compared this to Sam Adam's Oktoberfest (sounds like this was the taste BierMuncher was going for in this recipe) but I would be interested in buying a six-pack and doing a taste comparison!

This recipe is going to be in my regular rotation for sure!

 

[TastyAdventure]

Question about DMS:
So I Brewed something similar to this, and I lost my measuring stick so I didn't know how much preboil volume I had. So I eyeballed it, and took some "3rd runnings" to boil separately and add later if necessary, if my volume was low and my OG high...
Turned out I was 1/2 gal short and 6 points high on my OG. So I added 1/2 gal of the lower gravity 3rd runnings to my 5 gallons of boiled original beer.

Well, I forgot to boil it for long enough. I think I boiled it on my stove (mild boil) for ~20 ish minutes...
My yeast is Cream Ale blend WL080.
I boiled the main batch for 75 min, Pils malt was 25% of grist.

Is my batch screwed? Will it taste like canned corn?

 

[NCSU_Brewer]

I brewed a 5 gallon partial mash, partial boil version of this recipe a month ago. Mine turned out so-so, but not because of the recipe. I had two main problems:

My beer was far too bitter compared to SA Octoberfest. I messed up an equipment setting in Beersmith and added 2 ounces of hops at 60 minutes instead of 1.

My beer has an "off" flavor. It reminds me of my first brew, which was fermented at room temp with no temperature control. I'm not sure how this happened. Bad packet of yeast? Too much top off water?

Either way, I'm brewing this again. I'll see what a 2.5 gallon all grain BIAB gets me.

Thanks for posting this recipe. It inspired me to take the baby step from extract to partial mash, and now the jump to all grain.

 

[paguy]

I'm looking at brewing this up maybe this weekend. Wondering if the original recipe has changed much?

Thank you

John

 

[doomXsaloon]

Kegged to secondary today. 3 weeks in primary. 1.052 OG--1.011 FG; 5.38% abv. Used 04 yeast. Cold crashed 3 days.
Flask sample was good; light malt, slightly sweet. Was hoping to keep FG around 1.014-1.017.

**update**
5 days carbing in keg, and....Diacetyl!?
The dreaded Diacetyl. Pilsner malt? 90 minute boil; 3 weeks in primary; maxed out at 68 degrees... Maybe should've done a Diacetyl rest at 70?? I don't know, but I don't like Diacetyl. Maybe another week or month will clear it up??
Damn. Disappointed.

 

[Sunward33]

Decided that I needed to do a little quality control last night and put one of these in the fridge. It's only been in the bottle for about 11 days and it's already tasting awesome. By Halloween this is going to be great!
I'll update with pics next week on its official release.

 

[smagic14]

Tried this recipe out on my new budget HERMS system.... Have 10 gallons of great looking beer ready to ferment!

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[sikkingj]

Thank you for the recipe!
Brewed 8 gallons for an Oktoberfest party - OG 1.060 FG 1.015 at 6.2% a little stronger then the recipe, but great clean tasting malt forward beer.

Generated rave reviews, I'll definitely brew this again.

 

[doomXsaloon]

Any other Diacetyl issues?

 

[sikkingj]

Picture of my brew....
Dolt picture is sideways...

 

[BowAholic]

Decided that I needed to do a little quality control last night and put one of these in the fridge. It's only been in the bottle for about 11 days and it's already tasting awesome. By Halloween this is going to be great!
I'll update with pics next week on its official release.

How was the beer? I used saaz as well...

 

[Surfanarchist]

subscribed

 

[Surfanarchist]

Question on malts. How much different is German Pilsner 2 row from U.S. 2 row domestic like Great Western? I ask since I want to do this recipe, and I have plenty of domestic 2 row, German Vienna, and Munich Malt, but no German 2 row Pilsner. How will using domestic 2 row effect this recipe?

Thanks.

 

[jmcquesten]

Question on malts. How much different is German Pilsner 2 row from U.S. 2 row domestic like Great Western? I ask since I want to do this recipe, and I have plenty of domestic 2 row, German Vienna, and Munich Malt, but no German 2 row Pilsner. How will using domestic 2 row effect this recipe?

Thanks.

I made this recipe 2 times over the past few months. The first time, I used (US briess) 2-row in place of the pilsner malt and the beer was pretty good. The second time, I made it with Munich malt and I wasn't as happy with it. I had them both on tap at the same time and was able to compare side by side. I'm not really sure why I prefer the one with the 2 row, but I do.

I have to mention that I have not brewed it with the pilsner malt. I decided against it because I get large bags of Belgian pilsner malt and that stuff is a little expensive to be using in this type of beer. Maybe if I had the $50/bag German pilsner malt I would have, but the dingemans (Belgian) pilsner is like $75/bag.

When I brew it again I'll probably use US 2-row.