Geesh, seems like everyone is getting ready to brew an octoberfest

Beer Recipes
1

Including me!

I am getting ready for my first lager (voice trembles slightly with excitement) and I am thinking that an marzen/fest might be just the thing.

I have a little over half a sack of munich and some pilsner and two row on hand. a little hallertaur, some saphir, then nelson, goldings, challenger, pacific gem.

I can get more hops if need be.

The yeast is what ever the local brewery uses as I will be grabbing a quart of that (they brew a decent o-fest themselves)

I was looking at the recipe wiki and as always I am drawn to the simplest recipe up there which is the rocktoberfest from VPB which is 100% munich and then several varieties of hallertauer.

Any thoughts?

Good reasons to add some crystal or caramunich or melanoiden?

2

My “simple” one is 1/3 - 1/3 - 1/3  Pils/Vienna/Munich.  And yes just a touch of caramunich.  No melanoiden, bite the bullet and do the decotion…

3 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Malt (8.3 SRM) Grain 32.56 %
3 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 32.56 %
3 lbs 8.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 32.56 %
4.0 oz Caramunich II (Weyermann) (46.0 SRM) Grain 2.33 %
0.50 oz Magnum 12.9 [12.90 %] (60 min) Hops 20.2 IBU
1.00 oz Hallertauer 3.6 [3.60 %] (15 min) Hops 5.6 IBU

3

I brewed the Oktoberfest recipe from Brewing Classic Styles as my first lager and I loved it. The combo of Pils, Vienna and Munich with a touch of CaraMunich gives a great malt complexity that is perfect for this style.

4

Yep, I use an equal mix of pils, vienna, and munich as well.  In the past I haven’t put any crystal in but I think I will add a touch this year.

5

I went with 5 different grains last year and it was great.  Pilsner, Light and Dark Munich, Vienna and Caramunich.  Hops should not play a big role IMHO so I did Tets at 60 and 30.

+1 to biting the decoction bullet.

Dave

6

I was told that my first O-fest was my best beer ever.

7

well okay euge,

are you gonna toss that out there and then NOT cough up the recipe?

8

for two gallons  65% efficiency

3lb vienna
1lb 2 row/or bils
1.5 lb crystal 20

5gm magnum at 60 - 22.8 ibu
5gm mt hood  at 10 - 2.78 ibu

og 1058, fg 1016, abv 5.5

quite honestly i probably would just use all vienna, and then equivalent ibu of hallertau

9

Well I used 9# of briess amber extract and hallertau mittelfruh 0.25oz each @ 45, 30, 20 & 10. Yeast was s189.

10

I personally can’t go 100% Munich because I don’t like the peppery flavor. I know some people are less sensitive to that though. I’ve been brewing an Oktoberfest/Märzen-ish beer spring and fall for a few years. The past two iterations have been my favorites. They’re both basically the same:

54% Pils
31% Munich 1
8% Munich 2
8% CaraVienne (What can I say? I like 'em malty.)
Noble hop of choice at 90 min, 25 IBU (Tinseth)
Wyeast 2206, lager pitching rate

Water is ~80 ppm Ca, ~100 ppm Cl, and pretty much nothing else.

11

brewed this recipe as an ale, and its was really good. doing it as a lager next month:

Recipe: Oktoberfest TYPE: All Grain
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
—RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS-----------------------------------------------
SRM: 7.9 SRM SRM RANGE: 7.0-14.0 SRM
IBU: 23.6 IBUs Tinseth IBU RANGE: 20.0-28.0 IBUs
OG: 1.055 SG OG RANGE: 1.050-1.057 SG
FG: 1.012 SG FG RANGE: 1.012-1.016 SG
BU:GU: 0.431 Calories: 181.3 kcal/12oz Est ABV: 5.6 %
EE%: 76.00 % Batch: 5.80 gal      Boil: 8.43 gal BT: 90 Mins
wyeast 2206 starter 500Bil

Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs 12.0 oz Total Hops: 2.00 oz oz.
—MASH/STEEP PROCESS------MASH PH:5.30 ------

-ADD WATER CHEMICALS BEFORE GRAINS!!<<<<<<<
Amt                  Name                                    Type          #        %/IBU       
7 lbs                Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM)              Grain        1        59.6 %       
3 lbs 12.0 oz    Dark Munich - 12L (12.0 SRM)  Grain        2    31.9 %       
1 lbs                Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)  Grain        3        8.5 %

Name              Description                            Step Temperat Step Time   
Maltose Rest      Add 14.99 qt of water at 155.4 F        145.0 F    30 min       
Intermediate Rest Add 2.25 qt of water at 205.2 F        152.0 F    20 min       
Dextrinization Re Add 2.50 qt of water at 204.5 F        158.0 F    40 min       
Mash Out          Add 5.50 qt of water at 207.8 F        168.0 F      5 min

—SPARGE PROCESS—

-RECYCLE FIRST RUNNINGS & VERIFY GRAIN/MLT TEMPS: 72.0 F/72.0 F
-ADD BOIL CHEMICALS BEFORE FWH
Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun, , 4.34gal) of 168.0 F water

—BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.041 SG Est OG: 1.055 SG
Amt                  Name                                    Type          #        %/IBU       
1.00 oz  Tettnang [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min        Hop        13.3 IBUs   
1.00 oz  Tettnang [4.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min        Hop        10.3 IBUs

12

I am going to brew my first lager this spring but it’s going to be a doppelbock based very closely on Kai’s doppelbock recipe. I need to sit down with Brewing Lager Beer first.

13

I brew this last year, and think I will stick close to it for this year.  It came out real good.

5 gallons, OG 1.058

6 lbs. Best pils
6 lbs. Best munich
1 lb. Weyermann CaraRed

Mash at 150°F for 90 min

1.5 oz Hallertauer Tradition pellets, 60 min
1 oz. Saaz, 15 min
0.5 oz. Saaz at knockout

Wyeast 2206 Bavarian lager yeast

14

I like the look of that, chumley.

15

me to. It seems like a good compromise between 100% munich and 5 different malts.

Thanks Chumley

16

I forgot to add Tom that Briess Amber is “a proprietary blend of base, Munich, and 60L crystal malts. Amber color and malty flavor with caramelly overtones” according to NB. I think it was a good fit for an off the cuff quickie batch and was very much in line with the many American Octoberfests that I’ve sampled.