Need help designing a different sort of Oktoberfest

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Ok...this is going to be a weird request...I'm not sure it would be possible or taste remotely good, but I'm looking to produce an Oktoberfest with the following in mind:

-I am fairly new to homebrewing so I do not have very advanced equipment (read starter kit)

-I live in Texas and it will be warm for several more months

-I do not have a way to ferment or lager at low temperatures so lager yeast are out (at least as far as I understand the use of lager yeast)

So I'm looking for an oktoberfest recipe that would accomodate ale yeast and warmer temperatures. I realize it wouldn't be anywhere close to as good as a real oktoberfest recipe, but does anybody have a recipe like this or any ideas that could point me in the right direction of coming up with such a recipe?

 

[JMSetzler]

Find an Oktoberfest recipe that you think looks good and ferment it with an ale yeast. I did one a while back with a belgian wit yeast and it came out ok. I made a couple errors in my grains when I was steeping and the color of the beer is way off but the flavor is still good. You might be surprised at how good an oktoberfest can be when done with an ale yeast.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Would I still need to ferment it for the same length of time as the lager recipe?

 

[BigEd]

What JM said. There isn't any secret recipe required, just use a good one and then use a clean ale yeast that will work well at the temperatures you can provide. Even for ale yeasts though you should try to keep the temps as low as you can within the yeast's range. The combination of a clean ale yeast working at the lower side of its' temp range will keep ester production to a minimum. Beyond this you want to be extra careful with sanitation to reduce the chance of wild yeast or bacterial contamination. While it won't be a ''real" Oktoberfest you can make a tasty brew with these methods.

 

[BigEd]

Would I still need to ferment it for the same length of time as the lager recipe?

No, because lager yeasts need more time to ferment typically than ale yeasts. However, IMO you should give the beer some aging time at as cool a temp as you can muster. Doing a secondary in a carboy would be a good idea if you have one. A simple temp control system like a swamp cooler might be worth looking into as well.

 

[homebrewer_99]

From BYO mag: an Irish Ale is as close as you can get to an O'fest lager.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Here is a good BT Oktoberfest article that has some info on making an 'Oktoberfest Ale' at the end.

There is also Biermuncher's Oktoberfast Ale.

That should get you started.:rockin:

 

[dfohio]

From BYO mag: an Irish Ale is as close as you can get to an O'fest lager.

What!? Why would they say that?

 

[DubbelDach]

I am hotly debating brewing this: BierMuncher's Oktoberfast Ale

or this: Edwort's Oktoberfest Ale

Anyone do them both? Comparisons?

 

[marc06]

I couldn't decide which one to brew either, so I just combined the two recipes.

 

[homebrewer_99]

What!? Why would they say that?

Beats me, but if you check their library of back issues it's in there...

 

[JLem]

Beats me, but if you check their library of back issues it's in there...

Well, both styles are on the malty end of the malty-hoppy continuum. Both are amber colored. Both are supposed to finish relatively dry. The red ale generally have more caramel and a bit of roastiness to it, but if you limited those flavors, I'd say things are pretty close. (note: I have never brewed an Oktoberfest, so I am speaking only from what I have read)