Oktoberfest recipe

[Neil]

G'day all

Well, as most of us in south-east Oz are now well and truly aware, winter is nigh and I'm feeling the urge to get some lager brewing done. This is an Oktoberfest/Marzen recipe I am about to brew up. Feedback appreciated. The yeast is W34/70 that I have just got going in a 1.5 litre starter - it is going nuts in the shed at 12C!

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Bremen Nacht Oktoberfest
Brewer: Neil
Asst Brewer:
Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 22.00 L
Boil Size: 25.18 L
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 20.7 EBC
Estimated IBU: 25.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.50 kg Vienna Malt (6.9 EBC) Grain 48.08 %
1.50 kg Pilsner, Malt Craft Export (Joe White) (3.Grain 28.85 %
1.00 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) (17.7 EBC) Grain 19.23 %
0.15 kg Caramunich Malt (110.3 EBC) Grain 2.88 %
0.05 kg Carafa I (663.9 EBC) Grain 0.96 %
15.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (60 min) (First Wort HoHops 8.0 IBU
15.00 gm Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] (60 min)Hops 7.1 IBU
20.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 9.6 IBU
10.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.0 IBU
0.50 gm Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
0.50 gm Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
2.00 gm Chalk (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs SafLager German Lager (DCL Yeast #S-189) Yeast-Lager

I'm going to try a mixed infusion/decoction mash as set out by Trough Lolly on this forum a little while ago.

Cheers

Neil

[drsmurto]

I'd personally drop the caramunich and up the IBU to at least 20 (my pref would be at the top end - 28)

[Neil]

I'd personally drop the caramunich and up the IBU to at least 20 (my pref would be at the top end - 28)

Thanks Doc. I'm in two minds about the Caramunich. I guess there should be enough malty sweetness from the Munich and the Carafa should give that little bit extra colour and edge so perhaps it would be best to drop it. I think I saw it used in a Jamil recipe. The recipe print-out shows over 25 IBU.

Cheers

Neil

[drsmurto]

IMO Jamil is a crystal loving freak but that said he used yankee crystal which isnt as sweet as ours (apparenlty).

My last Okky was vienna with about 3% caramunich and i found it too sweet. Just enough carafa to get the colour would be a better option.

If you had enough malt then i would be gong vienna/munich and ditching the pils for a maltier okky.

Water additions - what profile are you starting with?

Up until now i have been strongly against water additions as i think far too many people dont really know why they are doing it - they simply want to mimic a regions profile.

But..... with all the rain we had over the weekend in Adelaide my tanks are full and i have them plumbed into the house (finally - and the 1K rebate has been approved) so i dont have mains anymore. So i will have to start adding salts to my water! Didnt even think about that till after the switch.

[Neil]

IMO Jamil is a crystal loving freak but that said he used yankee crystal which isnt as sweet as ours (apparenlty).

My last Okky was vienna with about 3% caramunich and i found it too sweet. Just enough carafa to get the colour would be a better option.

If you had enough malt then i would be gong vienna/munich and ditching the pils for a maltier okky.

Water additions - what profile are you starting with?

Up until now i have been strongly against water additions as i think far too many people dont really know why they are doing it - they simply want to mimic a regions profile.

But..... with all the rain we had over the weekend in Adelaide my tanks are full and i have them plumbed into the house (finally - and the 1K rebate has been approved) so i dont have mains anymore. So i will have to start adding salts to my water! Didnt even think about that till after the switch.

Thanks for the elaboration Doc - I can see where you are coming from. I've seen so many different recipes for an 'Okky' (KISS!) that my recipe probably reflects some of each of them! I had a prototype that was almost 50:50 Vienna/Munich but then developed this one which is based heavily on a recipe by Ray Mills. I've seen some people rave about his beers. I'll think some more about the Vienna/Munich blend (I do have enough of each) and leaving the Pilsener out.
I just use rainwater for my beers and felt that the lagers lacked a certain crispness and dryness. I used Palmer's spreadsheet and played around with additions until I got a balanced result.
Great to hear of the rain down your way. My mum doesn't live far from you and I know that she is stoked with the rain - the quantity and nature (soaking)!

Cheers

Neil