Oktoberfest Lager and Ale Questions

[Geofferson]

So a buddy and I are trying to formulate a recipe to do a 10-gallon batch of an Oktoberfest. The issue is that he will be traditionally lagering his and since I don't have the capability to lager I wanted to just ferment it as an ale. We also figured this might create an interesting opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison of the same wort making a lager and and ale. Here are my questions:

1) Any ideas on a good recipe? Should we tend towards a darker or lighter version of an Oktoberfest?

2) What kind of effect can we expect by using the same wort with an ale and lager yeast? Is this asking for a terrible beer?

2) What kind of ale yeast is recommended? I'm assuming something neutral and clean, but I'm open to thoughts from the experts.

Thanks for the help!

 

[smizak]

The darker or lighter version is your preference. Personally I prefer lighter.

It will make very good beer with either yeast, just different.

I would try and use wlp001/1056/US-05 and ferment it cool, no warmer than 65F. That will make a pretty clean beer. But you'll be amazed at how different they will be.

 

[kpr121]

This is an excellent idea to split a 10 gallon batch of Oktoberfest and I think I am going to do the same thing. Partially because I don't want to take up two keg spaces in my bar kegerator, partially because I won't have the patience to wait till fall for the lager (I can drink the ale in the meantime), and partially to learn the differences between an ale and lager yeast.

As far the ingredients go, I don't think theres a large difference between ale and lager recipes. I would just pick one and go for it. I would imagine that the ale batch will be a little more bold and fuller mouthfeel, while the lager will be crisp and cleaner.

Let us know what you decide to do!

 

[ENS]

I want to make an Oktoberfest Ale too since I don't have lager capabilities. I asked the local homebrew store about this and they recommended White Labs European Ale yeast.. I think wyeast has a German Ale yeast that is a similar strain, both make clean tasting beers at the cooler end of their spectrum, per the clerk that recommended it to me.

I plan to make my Oktoberfest Ale sometime this summer and I am going to try gettng a tub, filling it with water and putting carboy in it and putting frozen waterbottles in it and replacing them each day. I may even try a lager yeast strain. I am not sure yet.

I just tried to make a vienna lager using an ale strain. The same clerk said the Euro Ale from white labs would work for that too, but then I went back and another clerk talked me into white labs san francisco lager yeast, which I pitched. I posted here about and was told it will come out good, but will not be anything like a vienna lager due to the esters produced by the san fran lager yeast. That beer is still in the secondary and I have kept it at temperatures between 58 and 61 and once or twice it got up to 63. Smelled like it had some esters in it while I was racking it to the secondary. I also dryhopped 2 oz of czech saaz in it, so it might be too hoppy for a vienna lager.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Here is my favorite Oktoberfest/Marzen all grain recipe, I've brewed it 4 times so far and have 4 gallons fermenting right now in the basement.

Size 4.25 gallons: Estimated IBU=34, SRM=13, OG=1.072, FG=1.018, ABV= 6.9%
Size 5.00 gallons: Estimated IBU=31, SRM=12, OG=1.061, FG=1.015, ABV= 5.9%

1/2 pound CaraMunich
1/2 pound Melanoidin
5.0 pounds Munich (German)
5.0 pounds Pilsener (German)

1.5 ounce Hallertauer (Germany) pellet hops boiled for 60 minutes
0.75 ounce Hallertauer (Germany) pellet hops boiled for 30 minutes
1/8 tab WhirlFloc boiled for 9 minutes
0.75 ounce Hallertauer (Germany) pellet hops boiled for 7 minutes

 

[astropunk]

mmmmmmm, that looks good Screwy!

I just brewed up a variation of this recipe on Mother's day....(yeah, im THAT guy)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f63/bee-cave-brewery-oktoberfest-ale-38880/

I subtracted half pound from the vienna and pills, and used the Wyeast Kolsh yeast. Everything else I pretty much followed to a "T". Im hoping this turns out well. Octoberfest is my favorite style of beer.

 

[kpr121]

mmmmmmm, that looks good Screwy!

I just brewed up a variation of this recipe on Mother's day....(yeah, im THAT guy)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f63/bee-cave-brewery-oktoberfest-ale-38880/

I subtracted half pound from the vienna and pills, and used the Wyeast Kolsh yeast. Everything else I pretty much followed to a "T". Im hoping this turns out well. Octoberfest is my favorite style of beer.

I love that idea! I have a Dunkel at around 3 weeks right now, that I pitched onto a previous Kolsch batch. I think I will let it sit another week or two in the primary and plan to brew the Oktoberfest and pitch ontop of the Dunkels cake. I am really liking what the Kolsch yeast is bringing to the table!

 

[ENS]

I need to come up with an extract Oktoberfest ale recipe.

 

[kpr121]

I need to come up with an extract Oktoberfest ale recipe.

From what I've read, you arent going to get there without the Munich and Vienna mashed.

 

[ENS]

agreed, but I want to get as close as possible.

I'm not set up for partial mash. Although, I have no experience in partial mash and maybe it is not as hard as I think and maybe I have the set up and don't realize it.

 

[JJL]

You might want to check out Biermuncher's Oktoberfast Ale Recipe. Just do a search for it on here. Notty is a clean fermenting ale yeast that you might consider. Personally, I think I would try to keep the ferm temp on the ale as low as possible - probably 65F or less.

 

[RugerRedhawk]

I need to come up with an extract Oktoberfest ale recipe.

AHS has an oktoberfest kit. Just ferment it as cool as you can get it. I fermented mine at 62 and it came out good.

 

[jsullivan02130]

You might try a Koelsch yeast and ferment it on the cool side.

So a buddy and I are trying to formulate a recipe to do a 10-gallon batch of an Oktoberfest. The issue is that he will be traditionally lagering his and since I don't have the capability to lager I wanted to just ferment it as an ale. We also figured this might create an interesting opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison of the same wort making a lager and and ale. Here are my questions:

1) Any ideas on a good recipe? Should we tend towards a darker or lighter version of an Oktoberfest?

2) What kind of effect can we expect by using the same wort with an ale and lager yeast? Is this asking for a terrible beer?

2) What kind of ale yeast is recommended? I'm assuming something neutral and clean, but I'm open to thoughts from the experts.

Thanks for the help!