Oktoberfest Help!!

[tuckerlux]

I know you're thinking I should just skip the extract and go all grain. As this is not a current possibility, I'd like some pointers on an Oktoberfest extract recipe.

Here's what I've got so far..

6 1/2 lbs Light LME
1 lb crystal 60L
8 oz toasted malt
4 oz chocolate malt

60 min. 1 oz Hallertauer
.5 oz Tettnang

30 min. 1 oz Hallertauer

15 min. .25 oz Tettnang
5 min. .25 oz Tettnang

pitch wyeast 2112 (no capacity for cold lagering)

What do you think? ANY help at all would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[SavageSteve]

It's very easy to make an Oktoberfest with extract and as an ale.

I think you need some significant adjustments to your recipe:

1) Use a malt extract that has a large portion of Munich malt in it, preferably with Pilsener malt too, or even Vienna. Weyermann and Williams have extracts like this.

2) Reduce the amount of crystal malt and replace it with a Cara Munich malt.

3) Skip the chocolate and toasted malts-- inappropriate for style.

4) Eliminated the late hops-- Oktoberfests have little to no hop flavor or aroma. The 30 minute addition is fine. The choices themselves are great.

5) I think the yeast is OK, but I've never made one with that yeast. Others here have used a different neutral ale yeast, but I can't remember which ones.

Check out the recipes section and look for Oktoberfest ales.

-Steve

 

[tuckerlux]

Thanks for the tips, they sound great!
I've seen recipes that use kolsch yeast and maybe even notty or saf-ale 05 and 04

 

[Adam78K]

kolsch yeast is good for this style and maybe some California lager yeast. Skip out on the Notty yeast, recent recall, kind of sketchy.

 

[uwjester]

I don't have anything to add, so I'll just agree with SavageSteve. See if you can find some munich LME. If you can't find it locally, there are a couple of places that will ship it. Definitely lose the late hop additions to keep to style. I think the chocolate malt is an interesting idea, one I've been bouncing around actually, but it will push you out of the style. If you decide to do it anyway, maybe look for pale chocolate malt. If you can get pacman yeast, it may be a good ale yeast to try with this recipe, especially if you can find a way to ferment low. Lots of luck, and let us know how it works out.

 

[Pharmguy]

S-04 is a good call

 

[tuckerlux]

So after some looking around, here's what I've come up with. It's a partial mash based on BierMuncher's OktoberFast Ale.

3.5 Lbs Light LME
2.25 lbs Vienna
1.75 lbs Munich
1 lb 20L
1 lb Aromatic
.5 lb 40L
.5 lb Cara-pils

1 oz Hallertau @ 60
.5 oz Hallertau @ 45
.5 oz Hallertau @ 30

Wyeast 2112 Californa Lager (for my 68 degree basement)

Comments??

 

[wildwest450]

That's at the upper end of temps for that yeast. The cooler you ferment the smoother and yummier it will be. Use an ice bath or something similar.