Hello all. My daughter has requested an Octoberfest for our annual party. My understanding is that this style is a lager yes? I don't have the equipment for this if so. Any suggestions for an appropriate sub preferably a partial mash or a kit as that's all I've experience with. I drink very little beer but brew for family and friends so Not really sure what to look for.
Octoberfest request
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you can get away with using ale yeast on an Octoberfest or Marzen recipe, the common thought is that the beer will be less crisp even if you lager after packaging in bottles or keg. Some people do not mind, some people do.
The really dedicated recommend a swamp-cooler approach if you do not have refrigeration to lager in. Using a clean ale yeast, swapping out ice bottles and keeping the carboy/bucket in a bath of cold water with a towel to wick water for added evaporative cooling, very tedious IMO.
Many years ago my friend had a party where his Octoberfest Ale was the first keg to kick. It is workable, he fermented in a cold Michigan basement that year during winter.
The really dedicated recommend a swamp-cooler approach if you do not have refrigeration to lager in. Using a clean ale yeast, swapping out ice bottles and keeping the carboy/bucket in a bath of cold water with a towel to wick water for added evaporative cooling, very tedious IMO.
Many years ago my friend had a party where his Octoberfest Ale was the first keg to kick. It is workable, he fermented in a cold Michigan basement that year during winter.
wait i thought it was about the glass with octoberfest?
https://www.amazon.com/Oktoberfest-...ocphy=9051700&hvtargid=pla-318480870866&psc=1
44oz should be passable.....
https://www.amazon.com/Oktoberfest-...ocphy=9051700&hvtargid=pla-318480870866&psc=1
44oz should be passable.....
Try using a California Lager yeast. Ferment it on the lower side of the recommended temperature range and after about 5-6 days raise the temperature to about 70°-72° for a few days for a diacetyl rest.
The longer you can lager it at 32° or so the better it will be.
The longer you can lager it at 32° or so the better it will be.
To answer your original question, yes, it is traditionally a lager. But there are some pretty awesome O Fest beers done up with ale yeast. I can only do lagers during the winter as I don't have reliable cool temperature control. Do an O Fest recipe and use either a Kölsch yeast or even Lutra.
Thanks Mr Vern. Sounds like a plan. I suspect our friend/family group isn't to particular over free beer and brats. Hopefully it'll work as I don't want to disappoint. My SIL will happily enjoy anything I throw at him so it won't get wasted.
Presentation is everythingwait i thought it was about the glass with octoberfest?
https://www.amazon.com/Oktoberfest-...ocphy=9051700&hvtargid=pla-318480870866&psc=1
44oz should be passable.....
.Thanks for the specific yeast suggestions and encouragement. Appreciate it.
OOh great link. That recipe credited a kit to northern brewers. Some reviews stated they'd used an ale yeast and called it a mocktoberfest. Thanks!
I used Lutra last year and it was pretty good. Not quite that lager taste, but enjoyable. I believe Brulosophy did one with kölsch or another German ale yeast at some point as well.
you can ferment 34/70 yeast at room temp just fine, I've been doing this for years
all I have is all grain recipes, I do have a good one though sorry
I came here to say this as well. In my experience 34/70 produces a beer that has that distinct "lager" character even fermented at 60°F. I just recently brewed marzen/ oktoberfest at about 58 with 34/70 and it turned out really well.
In Brewing Classic Styles they give an extract recipe.
Extract:
4.4lbs Pilsner LME
4.4lbs Munich LME (9L)
Steeping Grains:
1lbs Caramunich (60L)
Hops:
Hallertau 4.0%AA 1.5oz @60 minutes for 24IBU
Hallertau 4.0%AA 0.5oz @20 minutes for
2.7 IBU
Yeast:
(They recommend in the book WLP820, Wyeast 2206, or Saflager S-23)
I recommend the 34/70.
I have never brewed this recipe and can't vouch for it, I think the caramunich is too much but this is a book full of award winning beers and I've never entered a competition so what do I know.
Extract:
4.4lbs Pilsner LME
4.4lbs Munich LME (9L)
Steeping Grains:
1lbs Caramunich (60L)
Hops:
Hallertau 4.0%AA 1.5oz @60 minutes for 24IBU
Hallertau 4.0%AA 0.5oz @20 minutes for
2.7 IBU
Yeast:
(They recommend in the book WLP820, Wyeast 2206, or Saflager S-23)
I recommend the 34/70.
I have never brewed this recipe and can't vouch for it, I think the caramunich is too much but this is a book full of award winning beers and I've never entered a competition so what do I know.
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I have viewed the all grain option of this recipe. I think it's a solid recipe. I, like you, have moved to less crystal malts in my Marzen. A small amount of melanoidin malt (2-3%) and ~1% chocolate malt if you want some more color is what I like.
I generally use s-23, but if you ferment it warm it gets really fruity. Like others have said, w34/70 can work well if you can keep it below 20c.
Is your daughter thinking Marzen or Festbier? They have been serving the lighter Festbier at the Oktoberfest since 1990 I believe.
This is some fascinating stuff here. My semi-local brew shop carries I believe Wyeast 1338 and some kind of Kölsch I think 2107.
I think Im going to go ahead with Sam_92's recipe. She doesn't like the Octoberfest to fruity so will look to purchase online for the other 2 recommendations. I reeeelllly want to try the 34/70 but temps may not be possible in a few months. Thanks again guys.
I think Im going to go ahead with Sam_92's recipe. She doesn't like the Octoberfest to fruity so will look to purchase online for the other 2 recommendations. I reeeelllly want to try the 34/70 but temps may not be possible in a few months. Thanks again guys.
I don't believe she's thinking one or the other. She's just hoping for a tasty, malty, crisp, seasonly appropriate beer. They're ready to move away from the Ipa's they usually drink in the summertime.
I suggest wyeast 1007 German ale yeast. It is a solid performer and very clean.
You can ferment 34/70 at room temp (and ideally room temp would be in the low 60s) but you still should cold age or lager the beer after the fermentation is done if you are going to use that yeast. If you have a kegerator or serving fridge you can do it in that.
California ale yeast is for steam beer. I was told to try using that to approximate a lager when I first started brewing and I didn’t think it made anything lager like or was even as clean an an ale yeast.
I’d go with good old 1056, 1272, or their equivalents with whatever yeast company you like. Try to keep fermentation in the 60s and it will make a good mocktoberfest.
https://beerandbrewing.com/amp/make-your-best-mocktoberfest/
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