Festbier / Oktoberfest recipe

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BeerPioneer

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I'm looking for some recipe building help. Last year, I brewed a last minute Oktoberfest with kviek, and it was no good.
I started brewing at the beginning of COVID, and have learned allot since then. I'm running 3 vessel eherms (20gal), with conical fermenters with temp control. Making 15 or 30 gallon batches

I want to brew a lighter ( than a marzen) 5-8 SRM festbier. I planted hops last year, so I have fresh hops available to me including fuggle, EKG, Zeus, cascade, and 2 bine bunches ( The Unknown Mix) that could be any of the following (nugget, cascade crystal, centennial, my hood).

Right now, I have wyeast Bavarian lager yeast,Copenhagen yeast, and Munich 2 yeast.
I have a healthy supply of grain.

Here's a recipe that looks good to me... It's a good start, but I'd love to use my fresh hops.( Although I never have used fresh hops) Unfortunately there are no nobles yet. (I'll have hallertau for next year) I could take a chance with The Unknown hop mix...
Any thoughts? Advice?
 

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Looks like a good start. The key will be to adjust your Vienna to Munich ratio in future batches based off the flavors you want. I’d go with proper noble hops on this one
 
Yes...I guess I'll have to stick with nobles for this one. I'm just excited to use fresh cone hops in a brew. Maybe I'll do a APA next. It looks like I'll be picking hops over the next couple weeks
 
I just mashed in this morning..

3# Munich
2# Vienna
2# Pils
0.75# dark Munich/aromatic Munich
0.25# cara vienne/C-20

I took an old recipe and trimmed about 3# of the malt looking for a "lighter" ABV for session drinking.

Maybe it was 2# Munich and 3 of Vienna? But they are pretty interchangeable

Not sure how it will turn out.
 
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Definitely stick with real Noble hops for Festbier. Grain bill looks good, but for me, I like a grain bill something like 73% Pilsner/22% Vienna/5% Munich for my Festbier, but am not locked into that and will change the munich/vienna ratio year by year. The Bavarian yeast is your best bet for the style, though the Munich 2 would work also.
 
I did this one a couple years ago.
4# Munich Light
2# Vienna
4# Maris Otter Pale
1.5# Pilsner
Saaz/Tettnang. Definitely liked the noble hops in this.
WLP830
 
I have tried lots of combinations for an Oktoberfest and found that equal parts Munich, Vienna, and Pils with 5-8% Cara Munich work really well. I only add a 60 min bittering hop, usually a German Magnum. Not a beer with much hop flavor or aromas.
 
I have tried lots of combinations for an Oktoberfest and found that equal parts Munich, Vienna, and Pils with 5-8% Cara Munich work really well. I only add a 60 min bittering hop, usually a German Magnum. Not a beer with much hop flavor or aromas.
That looks pretty good.

I've purchased several Festbiers this year: Paulaner, Bitburg, Hofbrau (tourist trap 'export'), and U.S. domestic Troeg Octoberfest. The Troeg's and Bitburg were disappointing, tasting like something between a Marzen and an American amber ale. Too much crystal malt. Surprisingly the Hofbrau was quite good, even if it has been over-commercialized in the 'States. I dearly miss visiting the Hofbrau Haus in Munich (not during Octoberfest however) as I've spent many good times there. My favorite this year has been the Paulaner which seems to remain faithful to the original (pre-1960s) style of sticke beers: stronger body, higher alcohol, lighter color versions of Helles Bock or Munich lagers, brewed with mostly pils malts and a little CaraHell or Cara Munich, rather that the crystal and melanoidin bombs served up in the U.S.
 
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