Oktoberfest Recipe

[ccm414]

First shot at an Oktoberfest/Marzen... Here's a recipe that I came up with. I would like to hear some feedback on it. Any comments/concerns? Thanks!

Oktoberfest

Style: Octoberfest/Marzen OG: 1.066
Type: All Grain FG: 1.018
Rating: 4.0 ABV: 6.29 %
Calories: 217 IBU's: 24.22
Efficiency: 75 % Boil Size: 5.83 Gal
Color: 14.1 SRM Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Boil Time: 60 minutes

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
Primary 10 days @ 55.0°F
Secondary 14 days @ 50.0°F
Lager 45 days @ 34.0°F
Bottle/Keg 7 days @ 48.0°F

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
9.00 lbs 76.60 % Weyermann Munich II 60 mins 1.038
1.50 lbs 12.77 % Weyermann Pilsner 60 mins 1.038
12.00 ozs 6.38 % Caramunich Malt 60 mins 1.033
8.00 ozs 4.26 % Caravienne Malt 60 mins 1.034

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.50 ozs 20.99 Hallertauer 60 mins 4.30
0.50 ozs 3.23 Fuggles 15 mins 4.00

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.00 pkg Southern German Lager White Labs 0838

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 tbsp Irish Moss 15 mins Boil

Mash Profile
Medium Body Infusion In 60 min @ 154.0°F
Add 14.69 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 167.0°F
Mashout
Sparge 21.00 qt of 178.0°F water over 30 mins

Carbonation
Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols
18.3 psi Force Carbonation 48.0°F 2.70

Notes
3 day prep yeast culture at 50-55 degrees. Pitch at 70?

 

[Yooper]

I wouldn't use Munich II for the base malt- it's very dark and not very good for a quaffable lager. I'd use pilsner or light base malt, with 20% Munich malt for richness.

 

[BigEd]

I wouldn't use Munich II for the base malt- it's very dark and not very good for a quaffable lager. I'd use pilsner or light base malt, with 20% Munich malt for richness.

I disagree. One of my favorite 'fests was 70% Weyermann Munich II and 30% Pilsner malt. Do not confuse dark German Munich with the nasty domestic stuff. This does of course make a darker brew, perhaps more like the brews of 150 years ago as opposed to the lighter colored versions more common today. However, when mashed and fermented properly it makes an exceedingly quaffable lager.

 

[BigEd]

First shot at an Oktoberfest/Marzen... Here's a recipe that I came up with. I would like to hear some feedback on it. Any comments/concerns? Thanks!

Oktoberfest

Style: Octoberfest/Marzen OG: 1.066
Type: All Grain FG: 1.018
Rating: 4.0 ABV: 6.29 %
Calories: 217 IBU's: 24.22
Efficiency: 75 % Boil Size: 5.83 Gal
Color: 14.1 SRM Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Boil Time: 60 minutes

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
Primary 10 days @ 55.0°F
Secondary 14 days @ 50.0°F
Lager 45 days @ 34.0°F
Bottle/Keg 7 days @ 48.0°F

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
9.00 lbs 76.60 % Weyermann Munich II 60 mins 1.038
1.50 lbs 12.77 % Weyermann Pilsner 60 mins 1.038
12.00 ozs 6.38 % Caramunich Malt 60 mins 1.033
8.00 ozs 4.26 % Caravienne Malt 60 mins 1.034

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.50 ozs 20.99 Hallertauer 60 mins 4.30
0.50 ozs 3.23 Fuggles 15 mins 4.00

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.00 pkg Southern German Lager White Labs 0838

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 tbsp Irish Moss 15 mins Boil

Mash Profile
Medium Body Infusion In 60 min @ 154.0°F
Add 14.69 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 167.0°F
Mashout
Sparge 21.00 qt of 178.0°F water over 30 mins

Carbonation
Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols
18.3 psi Force Carbonation 48.0°F 2.70

Notes
3 day prep yeast culture at 50-55 degrees. Pitch at 70?

I would eliminate or at least cut back significantly on the crystal malts. All that Munich II will give you plenty of deep color and IMO the residual sweetness from crystal is not what you want in this style. My other suggestion would be to drop the mash temp a few degrees.

 

[ccm414]

Would it make sense to use a mix of 5.5 lbs of Munich II and 5 lbs of pilsner? Instead of being so Munich II heavy.

 

[BigEd]

Would it make sense to use a mix of 5.5 lbs of Munich II and 5 lbs of pilsner? Instead of being so Munich II heavy.

It comes down to what you want. A hundred brewers will give you a hundred different suggestions but in the end it's your choice.

 

[ccm414]

Yea I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be a disaster for my first shot at layering as well.

 

[944play]

I would eliminate or at least cut back significantly on the crystal malts.

Same here.

Also, I would not pitch warm, nor would I bother to prop yeast at a cooler temp than just room. That's a really robust strain, nothing like those effete Pilsen types that dawdle. It could be ready for racking and lagering in two weeks, but don't bother putting a schedule to it. The beer will tell you when it's done.

 

[Yooper]

I disagree. One of my favorite 'fests was 70% Weyermann Munich II and 30% Pilsner malt. Do not confuse dark German Munich with the nasty domestic stuff. This does of course make a darker brew, perhaps more like the brews of 150 years ago as opposed to the lighter colored versions more common today. However, when mashed and fermented properly it makes an exceedingly quaffable lager.

I haven't had 100% (or even 70%) Weyermann Munich II in an Oktoberfest so I have to defer to BigEd. I have done it in bocks, and liked it, but that was for a "thicker", richer beer.

 

[ccm414]

I do prefer the darker/richer O-fests. Thanks for the help! Ordering the supplies tonight.

 

[ccm414]

This is the final recipe I decided on... Do you think a decoction mash will be necessary?



Oktoberfest

Style: Octoberfest/Marzen OG: 1.066
Type: All Grain FG: 1.018
Rating: 4.0 ABV: 6.29 %
Calories: 217 IBU's: 23.59
Efficiency: 75 % Boil Size: 5.83 Gal
Color: 13.6 SRM Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Boil Time: 60 minutes

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
Primary 10 days @ 55.0°F
Secondary 14 days @ 50.0°F
Lager 45 days @ 34.0°F
Bottle/Keg 7 days @ 48.0°F

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
2.50 lbs 21.28 % Weyermann Pilsner 60 mins 1.038
12.00 ozs 6.38 % Caramunich Malt 60 mins 1.033
8.00 ozs 4.26 % Caravienne Malt 60 mins 1.034
8.00 lbs 68.09 % Weyermann Munich II 60 mins 1.038

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.50 ozs 19.96 Hallertauer 50 mins 4.30
0.50 ozs 3.63 Tettnang 15 mins 4.50

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.00 pkg Southern German Lager White Labs 0838

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 tbsp Irish Moss 15 mins Boil

Mash Profile
Medium Body Infusion In 60 min @ 154.0°F
Add 14.69 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 167.0°F
Mashout
Sparge 21.00 qt of 178.0°F water over 30 mins

Carbonation
Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols
18.3 psi Force Carbonation 48.0°F 2.70

Notes
3 day prep yeast culture at 50-55 degrees. Pitch at 55-60

 

[Yooper]

I don't think a decoction is ever really "necessary" with most malts which are well modified, but I like doing them for many beer styles.