Monday, September 23, 2019

Batch 230, Oktoberfest

I've been really disappointed in the last couple of Oktoberfest batches that I've done. I really didn't change the recipe between those batches, the first one was awesome, the next two were forgettable or dumpable. This time I've gone with an entirely different recipe of my own creation, based off of the BJCP guidelines and what I have on hand.

10 gallon batch, as usual

Fermentables:
22 lb Pilsner malt
1.5 lb Caramunich
1.5 lb White wheat
3 oz Chocolate malt

In previous recipes, I'd used Crystal 60 instead of Caramunich, which made the beer overly sweet for the style. The chocolate malt is for adjusting the color to be in spec, plus I think the little bit of darkness and roastiness will enhance the malt flavors that should shine through on this style. Mashed at 150F, adjusted pH to 5.15, collected 12 gallons in the boil kettle.

Hops:
1 oz Magnum at 60 minutes

That's all, no flavor hops at all. Magnum is very neutral, but will provide an appropriate amount of bitterness.

Yeast:
Oxygenated and pitched combination of:
Wyeast 2278 Czech Pils
Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager
from batch 229. I pitched 3 quart jars, because that's what I had on hand and because this is the last brew I'll do this year.

Specs:
OG: 1.053, actual was 1.062, which corresponds to an efficiency of 80%, I only had 70% dialed in for this recipe
FG: 1.015
ABV: 5.3%, but with 1.062, it will be more like 6.2%
IBU: 21.7
SRM: 10

This falls pretty much within the range for an Oktoberfest, except for I overshot the OG.

Update, 16 April 2020, this beer is quite good, I'd make it again. It needs a touch more hops, maybe add a little Mt Hood at 30 minutes?

Update, 3 Oct 2020, so this beer is over a year old. I'd canned a few earlier this year, thinking to enter them into a competition, but with covid, the comp was canceled. I noticed I still had one can left, so popped it open tonight. Darn it, it's gone sour. It's still drinkable, but it's no longer an Oktoberfest. Still, this was a very good batch and I'd make this recipe again.