Oktoberfest Ale and Gellatin

[Boston Brew Guy]

I am making an Oktoberfest Ale. It had malto-dextrin added in the boil. If I use gellatin will it take the MD out and reduce the body of the finished product? Also can you pitch on a yeast cake, or wash the yeast if you use gellatin?

 

[King of Cascade]

ok..so...Oktoberfest beer is a lager not an ale, second you want it kind of dry so don't use malto dextrin, third gelatin wont effect the body of beer it just clears it up.
Good question about the yeast harvesting after using gelatin. I think it should be fine. The gelatin attracts the yeast and drops it out of the beer so I think it should be fine. I always harvest yeast out of the primary and add the gelatin when I transfer to the secondary so I never worry about it.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

King - The O'fest ale is a thing that was created here for those bad planners who forgot to brew a proper O'fest lager or those who do not yet have the capacity to lager. Apparently, they can be very good. I'll let everyone know about mine in a month.

Sorry Boston, I don't really know. I never use MD and am just starting to get into gelatin.

 

[Boston Brew Guy]

I guess my real question is does gelatin only take things out of suspension, or will it take things out that are dissolved? Also the MD was added because it is an extract brew and it makes up for the carapils or caramunich, not sure which.

 

[Beerrific]

I guess my real question is does gelatin only take things out of suspension, or will it take things out that are dissolved? Also the MD was added because it is an extract brew and it makes up for the carapils or caramunich, not sure which.

The gelatin will only take things out of suspension. It should not effect the maltodextrin that is dissolved in the beer.

Also, I would not use yeast harvested after using gelatin. When I do it, I either add the gelatin in the secondary or do not plan on using the yeast.

 

[Boston Brew Guy]

Thanks Beerific thats what I figured.

 

[Professor Frink]

The gelatin will only take things out of suspension. It should not effect the maltodextrin that is dissolved in the beer.

Also, I would not use yeast harvested after using gelatin. When I do it, I either add the gelatin in the secondary or do not plan on using the yeast.

Agreed. The gelatin will strip out some of your yeast - not enough to effect natural carbing, but like Beeerific said, I wouldn't harvest that yeast that drops out.

 

[King of Cascade]

King - The O'fest ale is a thing that was created here for those bad planners who forgot to brew a proper O'fest lager or those who do not yet have the capacity to lager. Apparently, they can be very good. I'll let everyone know about mine in a month.

Sorry Boston, I don't really know. I never use MD and am just starting to get into gelatin.

Oh..so it's an Irish red ale thats called Oktoberfest

Also, I would not use yeast harvested after using gelatin.

It souldn't be a problem! some people make starters from slants and that ager is like gelatin

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Oh..so it's an Irish red ale thats called Oktoberfest

Generally, they are Oktoberfest recipes, fermented with a Koelsch yeast at cold temps instead of a lager strain.

 

[King of Cascade]

Generally, they are Oktoberfest recipes, fermented with a Koelsch yeast at cold temps instead of a lager strain.

I'm not knocking what you do. I once made an american stout and drank it on st. patricks day so I see what your doing I just think that if you are fermenting with a Koelsch yeast at cold temps why not use a bavarian yeast and make a traditional Oktoberfest beer.

 

[Bytor1100]

I'm not knocking what you do. I once made an american stout and drank it on st. patricks day so I see what your doing I just think that if you are fermenting with a Koelsch yeast at cold temps why not use a bavarian yeast and make a traditional Oktoberfest beer.

Basically because what Boerderij Kabouter stated.

King - The O'fest ale is a thing that was created here for those bad planners who forgot to brew a proper O'fest lager or those who do not yet have the capacity to lager. Apparently, they can be very good. I'll let everyone know about mine in a month.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I'm not knocking what you do. I once made an american stout and drank it on st. patricks day so I see what your doing I just think that if you are fermenting with a Koelsch yeast at cold temps why not use a bavarian yeast and make a traditional Oktoberfest beer.

Yep, I know you're not knocking. I'm just clarifying because I would guess a lot of newer brewers are reading this and would like to know.

I was talking about the brewers who had bad planning because that is me

I just brewed one of these and it will go grain to glass in 7 weeks, pretty short for a beer traditionally brewed in March and drank in September! I haven't had one yet so no comment on if it will work. But I will let everyone know my thoughts.

Cheers

 

[King of Cascade]

August 2nd I made my Oktoberfest and pitched 250 ml lager yeast slurry. Fermented 3 day's at 52 and raised the temp to 56 for 4 more days. After fermenting I drop the temp 2 degrees a day for ten days (17 day so far). I held it for 4 days at 32 degrees then added gelatin (That’s what this thread is about) after another week (28 days) I transferred to a keg and will condition for 1 week to ten days before drinking (total 38 days). I used the same schedule as the local brewery only they finished faster because they filter rather than use gelatin which takes more time.

I guess the point I'm making is that you could turn around a lager in 5 weeks. So if you’re a horrible planner you could still make a real Oktoberfest in less than 7 weeks. Now if temp control is the issue I don't have any suggestions.
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