Harvestfest

Hey all... Planning to do an Octoberfest for this year's harvest up home. I've not done one, and I'm my goal is to be on the lighter color spectrum of the style, but still get a big malt flavor and aroma. Thoughts? Advice?

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/864157/harvestfest
Looks like plenty of Munich in there to give you plenty malty flavour. When I'm trying to go more malty in a beer I favour chloride in my sulphate to chloride ratio more. Also looks like that yeast my attenuate a little below 80 I've not used it but a lower attenuator should leave some residual sugars. You could also try mashing mid range to make sure more alpha Amalyse is at play in the mash.

See what more expierenced brewers have to say. I hope it's a great beer.
 
+1 to mashing a little higher. If you're looking for "malty", 153-154 or so might give you a little more body, mouthfeel, and a little more sweetness.
 
+1 to mashing a little higher. If you're looking for "malty", 153-154 or so might give you a little more body, mouthfeel, and a little more sweetness.
I agree that mashing higher would get sweeter, I've done this before in some IPAs. Maybe it's the calculater, but it's howing my FG at 1.014 even if I do mash at 150, going any higher gets me up to 1.016. Is that going to be too sweet?
 
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Sounds like you might have an over-emphasis on sweet. A good Oktoberfest hints at sweetness but still finishes dry enough that you want another one. If it were mine, I'd drop the mash temperature to de-emphasize dextrine sweetness (your mouth converts dextrines to sugars, giving the sweetness in beer) and let the malt do the talking.
 
Sounds like you might have an over-emphasis on sweet. A good Oktoberfest hints at sweetness but still finishes dry enough that you want another one. If it were mine, I'd drop the mash temperature to de-emphasize dextrine sweetness (your mouth converts dextrines to sugars, giving the sweetness in beer) and let the malt do the talking.

Too sweet is my fear, do not want that. My current recipe shows me mashing at 150 and ending up at 1.014. Dare I go lower than 150? My mash tends to start out right at my target, but drop about 3 degrees over the 60 minutes. I would love to see this beer end up at 1.010.

Should I make this beer a bit more pilsner heavy to get a lower FG, or should I mash even lower?
 
Too sweet is my fear, do not want that. My current recipe shows me mashing at 150 and ending up at 1.014. Dare I go lower than 150? My mash tends to start out right at my target, but drop about 3 degrees over the 60 minutes. I would love to see this beer end up at 1.010.

Should I make this beer a bit more pilsner heavy to get a lower FG, or should I mash even lower?

In my opinion the harvest yeast has a better flavor than global but will not attenuate as much. If you want a lower FG you might want to consider changing yeast.
 
Too sweet is my fear, do not want that. My current recipe shows me mashing at 150 and ending up at 1.014. Dare I go lower than 150? My mash tends to start out right at my target, but drop about 3 degrees over the 60 minutes. I would love to see this beer end up at 1.010.

Should I make this beer a bit more pilsner heavy to get a lower FG, or should I mash even lower?
I'd lose any caramel or crystal malt. If you can't do a step mash, 150 sounds like a reasonable compromise.
 
I'd lose any caramel or crystal malt. If you can't do a step mash, 150 sounds like a reasonable compromise.
There is no crystal- so, will proceed as planned. Thanks!


In my opinion the harvest yeast has a better flavor than global but will not attenuate as much. If you want a lower FG you might want to consider changing yeast.
I have had great luck using Global, really like that yeast, actually might consider that.
 

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