Oktoberfest

[Maeldric]

Hey guys, been reading the forum for quite a while and have been getting lots of great ideas from it. I'm starting to plan for Oktoberfest and thinking of making this beer. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Ingredients
1 kg Australian Pale Malt
.25 kg German Light Crystal
.25 kg German Dark Crystal
3.25 kg Liquid Light Extract
.25 kg Corn Sugar
55 g Hallertau (Pellets, 4.70 %AA) boiled 50 minutes
15 g Hallertau (Pellets, 4.70 %AA) boiled 15 minutes
5 g Hallertau (Pellets, 4.70 %AA) boiled 1 minute
Saflager Yeast SW-34/70

Notes
* Steep grains at 66-68°C for 45 minutes in 8 litres of water.
* Sparge grains with 70°C water into boil pot.
* Add light liquid malt, corn sugar and water to 15 litres.
* Bring to boil, add bittering hops and boil for 50 minutes.
* Add flavouring hops 10 minutes before the end of the boil.
* Add aroma hops in last minute of the boil.
* Turn off heat and sit for 15 plus minutes.
* Transfer to fermenter, cool to 20°C and add water to 25 litres.
* Aerate wort then add rehydrated yeast and ferment 10-15°C.
* Rack and cold condition for 1-2 months.

[KEG]

I'd love to make an Oktoberfest-style extract brew... sorry to hijack, but any ideas? figured it was better to keep all the Oktoberfest stuff in one thread.

[gregb]

Keg, straight extract or extract and spec? Maeldric's above is mini mash and looks quite good too.

Can someone diary this to 'bump' the thread in say late July?

Thanks,
Greg

[KEG]

probably just straight extract at this stage gregb.. need a bit more equipment (thermometer etc) before trying specialty grains.

cheers

[Aussie Claret]

Hey guys, been reading the forum for quite a while and have been getting lots of great ideas from it. I'm starting to plan for Oktoberfest and thinking of making this beer. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Ingredients
1 kg Australian Pale Malt
.25 kg German Light Crystal
.25 kg German Dark Crystal
3.25 kg Liquid Light Extract
.25 kg Corn Sugar Dump the corn sugar not needed
55 g Hallertau (Pellets, 4.70 %AA) boiled 50 minutes why not add the bittering hops for 60minutes
15 g Hallertau (Pellets, 4.70 %AA) boiled 15 minutes Up this addition alittle say 20g
5 g Hallertau (Pellets, 4.70 %AA) boiled 1 minute Up this addition also (20g)
Saflager Yeast SW-34/70

Notes
* Steep grains at 66-68°C for 45 minutes in 8 litres of water. (do a 60 minute mash to ensure total conversion unless you are going to do a starch test)
*Sparge grains with 70°C water into boil pot. (sparge at a higher temperature should be in the 80's at least to improve efficiency)
* Add light liquid malt, corn sugar and water to 15 litres.
* Bring to boil, add bittering hops and boil for 50 minutes. 60mins
* Add flavouring hops 10 minutes before the end of the boil.
* Add aroma hops in last minute of the boil.
* Turn off heat and sit for 15 plus minutes.
* Transfer to fermenter, cool to 20°C and add water to 25 litres.
* Aerate wort then add rehydrated yeast and ferment 10-15°C.
* Rack and cold condition for 1-2 months.

Just my suggestions
AC

[OldBugman]

First thing you need to do is learn what the style is.

Curtesy of BJCP.org

3B. Oktoberfest/Märzen
Aroma: Rich German malt aroma (of Vienna and/or Munich malt). A light to moderate toasted malt aroma is often present. Clean lager aroma with no fruity esters or diacetyl. No hop aroma. Caramel aroma is inappropriate.

Appearance: Dark gold to deep orange-red color. Bright clarity, with solid foam stand.

Flavor: Initial malty sweetness, but finish is moderately dry. Distinctive and complex maltiness often includes a toasted aspect. Hop bitterness is moderate, and noble hop flavor is low to none. Balance is toward malt, though the finish is not sweet. Noticeable caramel or roasted flavors are inappropriate. Clean lager character with no diacetyl or fruity esters

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with a creamy texture and medium carbonation. Smooth. Fully fermented, without a cloying finish.

Overall Impression: Smooth, clean, and rather rich, with a depth of malt character. This is one of the classic malty styles, with a maltiness that is often described as soft, complex, and elegant but never cloying.

History: Origin is credited to Gabriel Sedlmayr, based on an adaptation of the Vienna style developed by Anton Dreher around 1840, shortly after lager yeast was first isolated. Typically brewed in the spring, signaling the end of the traditional brewing season and stored in cold caves or cellars during the warm summer months. Served in autumn amidst traditional celebrations.

Comments: Domestic German versions tend to be golden, like a strong Helles. Export German versions are typically orange-amber in color, and have a distinctive toasty malt character. German beer tax law limits the OG of the style at 14°P since it is a vollbier, although American versions can be stronger. "Fest" type beers are special occasion beers that are usually stronger than their everyday counterparts.

Ingredients: Grist varies, although German Vienna malt is often the backbone of the grain bill, with some Munich malt, Pils malt, and possibly some crystal malt. All malt should derive from the finest quality two-row barley. Continental hops, especially noble varieties, are most authentic. Somewhat alkaline water (up to 300 PPM), with significant carbonate content is welcome. A decoction mash can help develop the rich malt profile.

Vital Statistics:OG FG IBUs SRM ABV
1.050 - 1.056 1.012 - 1.016 20 - 28 7 - 14 4.8 - 5.7%

Commercial Examples: Paulaner Oktoberfest, Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest, Ayinger Oktoberfest-Märzen, Hofbräu Oktoberfest, Spaten Oktoberfest, Eggenberger Märzen, Goose Island Oktoberfest, Capital Oktoberfest, Gordon Biersch Märzen, Samuel Adams Oktoberfest (a bit unusual in its late hopping)

So by that you can derive it's all about the malt flavour with no hop aroma and only slight hop flavour if any.
-Mild Bitterness 20-28

[chris.]

Maybe a mini mash of Vienna with a few 100g of Melanoiden. Single 60min addition of noble hops to 25IBU. & make up the fermentables with the palest malt extract you can find at the end of boil?

[Trough Lolly]

I have an AG Oktoberfest recipe that's pretty popular at my brewclub...
If anyone's interested I can post it...

Cheers,
TL

[gregb]

Yeah, post it.

Cheers,
Greg

[Trough Lolly]

No probs...

TL's "Every day's an Oktoberfest"
(All calcs from Promash)
Batch Size: 21L
(Actual) OG: 1.053 FG:1.013
23.5 IBU
26.1 EBC

Grist:
3.5Kg Weyermann Pils
1Kg Bairds Munich I
300g Weyermann Caramunich II
60g Thomas Fawcett Pale Choc
1 hr mash at 66C

Hops:
32g Hallertauer 4.7% A/A at start of 60 min boil
24g Hersbrucker 2.9%A/A at end of boil / flameout

Yeast:
Wyeast 2000 Budvar Lager or 34/70 if you have it.
Fermented 2 weeks at 10C
Racked & Lagered in keg at 4C another 4 weeks

Cheers,
TL