Extract Octoberfest

[agro]

Hi all,

I'm looking at my first all-extract octoberfest this week. I want to keep this one a simple base to work on while I build my mash/tun and chiller to move into partial mash.

Small batch - 18L

DME Light 230gm
LME Extra Pale 3Kg
Crystal 55L 130gm
Chocolate Malt 70gm

Hallertauer Hop Pellets 60m Boil
Tettnanger Hop Pellets 5m Boil

Yeast - TBA (I don't have any lager yeasts yet...)

The grains will be steeped as I'm collecting bits for my mash/tun.

Thoughts ?
Jason.

 

[deebee]

Not sure that this recipe will make an octoberfest, but will probably make a nice beer. To get the dry malty flavours in an octoberfest you will need to use the right yeast and maybe try a melanoidin or caramunich grain in place of the the crystal malt and up it to 200-250g in 18l. That might bring you close.

Wyeast 2633 is an octoberfest blend and obviously your first choice but I think it is only available seasonally. You might be lucky and find one, but otherwise the Wyeast website will recommend other strains suitable for that brew. You will obviously need temperature control and a diacetyl rest in the ferment.

If you want a simple base to work on while perfecting your extract brewing, I would be brewing ales. But in brewing, I am a bit of a lagerphobe so that's just me.

 

[agro]

Thanks for that.

I'm using this as a base for experimentation, so will keep varying and trying the recipe to see what works and what doesn't. The next brew I will follow your advice and sub in other grains in place of the crystal malt etc to see what difference it makes.

As far as the yeast - I will use an ale yeast in this first pass to see how the base works out, and move to a lager yeast later to see what the difference is.

This hobby is a whole lotta fun