ocktoberfest

[pmoneyismyfriend]

I found this recipe on line, it's supposed to be a Jamil recipe, pasted below is how I found it.

Ocktoberfest

I've got "Brewing Classic Styles" by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer. Their Oktoberfest recipe "Munich Madness" calls for:

5 lbs. Pilsener,
4 lbs. Munich,
3 lbs Vienna, and
1 lb CaraMunich

1.5 oz. Hallertau 4%AA - 60 min
0.5 oz. Hallertau 4%AA - 20 min



WLP029

Not a whole lot of information eh! No mash temp or schedule...Any way if it's from Jamil, I figure it's got to be good. I've been searching for various recipes to put together a brew schedule for this, and have found varying information, such as 60 minute mash and 90 minute mash, 60 minute boil and 90 minute boil. With brews I have done in the past, containing a dominant amount of Pilsner malt, I have done 90 and 90. I have not done an Ocktoberfest yet and would like to know which is appropriate.

 

[mtyquinn]

You definitely want a 90 minute boil. 90 minute mash won't hurt but I don't know if it's needed. Can't remember the mash temp. sorry.

 

[m3n00b]

I just brewed an ofest with WLP029 on Sunday. I'm glad to see some others have used this yeast. I'm fermenting on the cool side around 60f for the first 4 days...then I plan on raising it 1f each day until I get to 70...then I will lager at 35 for a week.

 

[Yooper]

I"d use a lager yeast, if you want to make an Oktoberfest style beer. If you can't ferment at lager temperatures, then the kolsch yeast is acceptable but it won't be as clean and crisp as kolsch yeast has a definite fruitiness to it.

Mash at 150/151 for 60 minutes, boil for 90 minutes, and you should be all set.

If you do use the correct lager yeast, I love WLP820 (Oktoberfest yeast). I also like WLP830, and that may be a better choice for this recipe, with the crystal malt (I don't normally use crystal malt in my Oktoberfests). It's important to use enough yeast so make a HUGE starter (like 10 liters!) or use 4 packages of yeast. Pitch at 45 degrees if at all possible, and ferment at 50 degrees.

 

[pmoneyismyfriend]

Thanks, as a matter of fact, I am using wlp820 instead, but a 10 litre starter?

 

[m3n00b]

Why do lagers require such huge starters? Do they not reproduce?

 

[ShaineT]

The 90 and 90 would be more traditional. A decoction mash would be even more traditional. I always do a rest at 140 then 160, but many say modern malts only need the single infusion of 153 (+/-1). I think the grain bill looks great.

 

[ShaineT]

Why do lagers require such huge starters? Do they not reproduce?

The colder fermentation, especially doing a cold pitch. The growth phase is much subdued in this case.

 

[ShaineT]

I"d use a lager yeast, if you want to make an Oktoberfest style beer. If you can't ferment at lager temperatures, then the kolsch yeast is acceptable but it won't be as clean and crisp as kolsch yeast has a definite fruitiness to it.

Mash at 150/151 for 60 minutes, boil for 90 minutes, and you should be all set.

If you do use the correct lager yeast, I love WLP820 (Oktoberfest yeast). I also like WLP830, and that may be a better choice for this recipe, with the crystal malt (I don't normally use crystal malt in my Oktoberfests). It's important to use enough yeast so make a HUGE starter (like 10 liters!) or use 4 packages of yeast. Pitch at 45 degrees if at all possible, and ferment at 50 degrees.

Yooper, I used the WLP830 recently and it didn't finish too low before cold crashing (FG 1.016) I wanted to yeast wash harvest for future lagers.

 

[pmoneyismyfriend]

What do you think about pitching a Dopplebock on top of this yeast, when the O.F. is finished in the primary?

 

[ShaineT]

What do you think about pitching a Dopplebock on top of this yeast, when the O.F. is finished in the primary?

You might get overpitching results using the entire yeast cake. You may want to do a yeast washing into another fermenter bringing half of the slurry.