First Oktoberfest & Proper Lager

[Prairie Dog]

Hi guys,

Now that I have temperature control, I'm going to brew my first proper lager and Oktoberfest beer. I whipped up a recipe based on Brewing Classic Styles and some of the recipes I saw on here: https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1580549/oktoberfest

My plan is to pitch two packets of 34/70 at a little bit below 50F, then let it rise to 50 and hold it there until it is close to done (I have a Tilt now too, which will make this much easier), then I'll ramp it up to like 56-60 for a diacetyl rest until it is done and rack to a keg. I'm hoping primary fermentation and the d-rest will take around 2 weeks. My plan is to then transfer to a keg and lager at like 35F (I'm unsure if my fridge can go lower) for about a month before I put it on gas and start sampling.

Anyways, thought I'd post here in case I'm forgetting anything or anyone thought this recipe could be better with some tweaks. I haven't done the water yet, but I'll get on that soon. I'm most worried about messing up the fermentation, so if anyone has a better method, let me know. I don't really care about getting this done quick. I want to ferment it the proper way--whatever way that is lol

Thanks!

 

[Donoroto]

Looks totally normal to me.

 

[Craigerrr]

I would probably put the gas on it while it is lagering

 

[Prairie Dog]

I would probably put the gas on it while it is lagering

I was wondering if that made a difference at all.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I don't think you need the caramunich, so I'd either reduce or eliminate it.

 

[Dave Y]

I don't think you need the caramunich, so I'd either reduce or eliminate it.

Agreed.
I have brewed almost exactly that recipe before I started logging my recipes here. With vienna involved, adding cara-anything will help with color but cold push the sweetness over the line. I got exactly that critique on my Vienna heavy recipe that got me brewer of the month. But that had 2x the Vienna you do.
I’d push a pound or 2 of Munich II, drop the caras, and maybe lower Vienna by a pound-ish
But that’s me.

Can you ferment under pressure? That will save you a little time and it will come out of the fermenter well carbonated up front, only needing finishing.
Edit to add: Hops, great choice, I’ve used Hal’s, Tettnanger, and both with success in this style.

 

[Josh Hughes]

I don't think you need the caramunich, so I'd either reduce or eliminate it.

For sure

 

[Prairie Dog]

I don't think you need the caramunich, so I'd either reduce or eliminate it.

I was considering that as I thought it might be too sweet, but I already went to the lhbs and the wort is currrently boiling. Something to think about for next time though.

So far, brew day is going good. Wort is tasty but maybe a little sweet lol

 

[Yooper]

I was wondering if that made a difference at all.

No. I carbonate my lagers in the kegerator while they are lagering.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

First time Märzen brewer here as well. My recipe is very similar to yours. In your recipe I noticed something that shows in mine as well, and that is that Brewer's Friend lists the optimum temperature range is 48-72°F, but on the yeast package itself, it says the optimum range is 53.6-64.4°F (12-18°C). So I'm keeping my fermentation temperature around 57°F (14°C). I wonder if Brewer's Friend is listing the acceptable range and the yeast package is listing the ideal range.

 

[Josh Hughes]

First time Märzen brewer here as well. My recipe is very similar to yours. In your recipe I noticed something that shows in mine as well, and that is that Brewer's Friend lists the optimum temperature range is 48-72°F, but on the yeast package itself, it says the optimum range is 53.6-64.4°F (12-18°C). So I'm keeping my fermentation temperature around 57°F (14°C). I wonder if Brewer's Friend is listing the acceptable range and the yeast package is listing the ideal range.

They changed the package for some reason. That yeast is actually clean in the mid to upper 60s. I didn’t notice a difference when the package changed.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Weird brew day. I got a preboil gravity of 1.046 which was .06 over what the software said. I also took my first PH reading which looked weird at first but then settled at around 5.17 or so after cooling down a bit.

I figured I was in a good spot. Boiled for 90 minutes then used my immersion chiller to cool down. It took like an hour for me to get to about 77 at which time I moved my immersion chiller a little and one of the tubes started spritzing into the kettle. I caught it pretty quickly but couldn’t get it to stop spraying, so I decided to throw it in the fridge and pitch tomorrow night.

I was excited to read my OG but it turned out to be like 1.049 on both my hydrometer and my refractometer. I’m not sure exactly what happened here, but I boiled off like 2 gallons of water and somehow only gained .003 points which is .005 under my target.

I’m sure the immersion chiller didn’t leak too much into the kettle bc I checked it before I dumped it into the fermenter and it was at 5.75 which was where it was when I started chilling.

Good news is the sample tasted delicious and just like a marzen only a little sweet and bitter. I’m going to take another reading tomorrow. I must have had an off reading at some point. Here’s to hoping that it turns out delicious!

 

[Josh Hughes]

I’m sure it will!

 

[Craigerrr]

I never taste the wort on brew day

 

[Sandy Feet]

Weird brew day. I got a preboil gravity of 1.046 which was .06 over what the software said. I also took my first PH reading which looked weird at first but then settled at around 5.17 or so after cooling down a bit.

I figured I was in a good spot. Boiled for 90 minutes then used my immersion chiller to cool down. It took like an hour for me to get to about 77 at which time I moved my immersion chiller a little and one of the tubes started spritzing into the kettle. I caught it pretty quickly but couldn’t get it to stop spraying, so I decided to throw it in the fridge and pitch tomorrow night.

I was excited to read my FG but it turned out to be like 1.049 on both my hydrometer and my refractometer. I’m not sure exactly what happened here, but I boiled off like 2 gallons of water and somehow only gained .003 points which is .005 under my target.

I’m sure the immersion chiller didn’t leak too much into the kettle bc I checked it before I dumped it into the fermenter and it was at 5.75 which was where it was when I started chilling.

Good news is the sample tasted delicious and just like a marzen only a little sweet and bitter. I’m going to take another reading tomorrow. I must have had an off reading at some point. Here’s to hoping that it turns out delicious!

If I use a lager yeast, I set the refrigerator to 48, go do something for two or three hours and pitch when I get home. 5 gallons going from 80 to about 62 at 48, will take about 3 hours.
I do not think you will get 1.008FG with that much Munich. If you do, let me know what you did.

 

[Prairie Dog]

If I use a lager yeast, I set the refrigerator to 48, go do something for two or three hours and pitch when I get home. 5 gallons going from 80 to about 62 at 48, will take about 3 hours.
I do not think you will get 1.008FG with that much Munich. If you do, let me know what you did.

Interesting. I put my wort in the fermenter at around 77, then put it in the fridge set at 50 over night. This morning, it is down to 56.

I was thinking 1.008 was a little much. I ended up being .005 off my targeted OG, so not sure how this fermentation is going to shake out. I might boil some dextrose and put a little in to up the OG and get those yeast working, but unsure if it is necessary. Wort is tasting very good this morning too.

 

[Sandy Feet]

Interesting. I put my wort in the fermenter at around 77, then put it in the fridge set at 50 over night. This morning, it is down to 56.

I was thinking 1.008 was a little much. I ended up being .005 off my targeted OG, so not sure how this fermentation is going to shake out. I might boil some dextrose and put a little in to up the OG and get those yeast working, but unsure if it is necessary. Wort is tasting very good this morning too.

I was thinking more like 1.018 unless you mashed really low. Munich is or can be a base malt, but it does not attenuate like a Pilsner or 2 row. At least not in my case.

 

[Dave Y]

I moved my immersion chiller a little and one of the tubes started spritzing into the kettle

I was excited to read my OG but it turned out to be like 1.049 on both my hydrometer and my refractometer. I’m not sure exactly what happened here, but I boiled off like 2 gallons of water and somehow only gained .003 points which is .005 under my target.

it sounds like you took on some water into the wort.

I was thinking more like 1.018 unless you mashed really low. Munich is or can be a base malt, but it does not attenuate like a Pilsner or 2 row. At least not in my case.

I typically get 1.011-1.014 depending on what else I’ve got going on. I ran a heavy Munich II dunkel that I got to 1.016 and that was all I was going to get. I repitched that yeast and it fermented the next beer down below 1.012. My go to mash temp is 152, unless I step mash.

I’ve begun taking pages from @Bigbre04’s playbook and upping my peasant 2 row malt content based on how much modified malt I’m using.

 

[Bigbre04]

it sounds like you took on some water into the wort.


I typically get 1.011-1.014 depending on what else I’ve got going on. I ran a heavy Munich II dunkel that I got to 1.016 and that was all I was going to get. I repitched that yeast and it fermented the next beer down below 1.012. My go to mash temp is 152, unless I step mash.

I’ve begun taking pages from @Bigbre04’s playbook and upping my peasant 2 row malt content based on how much modified malt I’m using.

peasant 2 row for the win lol. I just like clean drinkable beers! plus its cheaper!

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Weird brew day. I got a preboil gravity of 1.046 which was .06 over what the software said. I also took my first PH reading which looked weird at first but then settled at around 5.17 or so after cooling down a bit.

I figured I was in a good spot. Boiled for 90 minutes then used my immersion chiller to cool down. It took like an hour for me to get to about 77 at which time I moved my immersion chiller a little and one of the tubes started spritzing into the kettle. I caught it pretty quickly but couldn’t get it to stop spraying, so I decided to throw it in the fridge and pitch tomorrow night.

I was excited to read my OG but it turned out to be like 1.049 on both my hydrometer and my refractometer. I’m not sure exactly what happened here, but I boiled off like 2 gallons of water and somehow only gained .003 points which is .005 under my target.

I’m sure the immersion chiller didn’t leak too much into the kettle bc I checked it before I dumped it into the fermenter and it was at 5.75 which was where it was when I started chilling.

Good news is the sample tasted delicious and just like a marzen only a little sweet and bitter. I’m going to take another reading tomorrow. I must have had an off reading at some point. Here’s to hoping that it turns out delicious!

I occasionally get odd readings like that too. I just attribute it so user error. But remember, pH and gravity readings should be done at the devices calibration temperature (or use a calculator to convert the reading). I don't have a pH meter but, the hydrometer's I have used have either a 60°F (15.5°C) or 68°F (20°C). Even my refractometer shows a changing value as the sample cools.