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Feisty Festbier

180 calories 16.7 g 12 oz
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Beer Stats
Method: All Grain
Style: Festbier
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Post Boil Size: 6 gallons
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.044 (recipe based estimate)
Post Boil Gravity: 1.055 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 82% (brew house)
Source: Jody Hughes
Hop Utilization: 93%
Calories: 180 calories (Per 12oz)
Carbs: 16.7 g (Per 12oz)
Created: Tuesday June 23rd 2026
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53.46
 
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
114 oz Weyermann - Barke Pilsner Malt114 oz Barke Pilsner Malt $ 2.99 / lb
$ 21.30 		37.03 1.75 71.3%
30 oz Bestmalz - BEST Munich30 oz BEST Munich $ 0.23 / oz
$ 6.93 		37 6.3 18.8%
10 oz Bestmalz - BEST Vienna10 oz BEST Vienna $ 0.23 / oz
$ 2.30 		37 3.8 6.3%
6 oz Weyermann - Melanoidin6 oz Melanoidin $ 3.69 / lb
$ 1.38 		34.5 27 3.8%
160 oz / $ 31.92
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
1.50 oz Artisan - Hallertau Mittelfruh1.5 oz Hallertau Mittelfruh Hops $ 1.45 / oz
$ 2.17 		Pellet 4 Boil 60 min 20.34 50%
1.50 oz Artisan - Hallertau Mittelfruh1.5 oz Hallertau Mittelfruh Hops $ 1.45 / oz
$ 2.17 		Pellet 4 Whirlpool 15 min 4.09 50%
3 oz / $ 4.34
 
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Cost Type Use Time
3 g Irish Moss $ 23.37 / lb
$ 0.15 		Fining Boil 15 min.
3 g Yeast Nutrient $ 0.12 / g
$ 0.36 		Fining Boil 10 min.
1 ml White Labs - Ultra-Ferm WLN4100 $ 0.49 / ml
$ 0.49 		Fining Mash 90 min.
4 g Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) Water Agt Mash 90 min.
2 g Epsom Salt Water Agt Mash 90 min.
3 g Gypsum Water Agt Mash 90 min.
6 g Citric acid Water Agt Mash 90 min.
1.50 g Citric acid Water Agt Sparge 30 min.
1 ml ALDC $ 0.85 / ml
$ 0.85 		Other Primary 0 min.
3.60 ml Biofine Clear $ 2.99 / oz
$ 0.36 		Fining Secondary 0 min.
$ 2.22
 
Yeast
White Labs - Oktoberfest/Märzen Lager Yeast WLP820
Amount:
1 Each
Cost:
$ 14.99 / each
$ 14.99
Attenuation (custom):
80%
Flocculation:
Medium
Optimum Temp:
52 - 58 °F
Starter:
Yes
Fermentation Temp:
53 °F
Pitch Rate:
1.5 (M cells / ml / ° P) 424 B cells required
$ 14.99 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
Priming
CO2 Level: 2.47 Volumes
 
Target Water Profile
Balanced Profile
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
50 5 5 60 75 100
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
 
Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Start Temp Target Temp Time
3.75 gal Strike 128 °F 122 °F 90 min
6 gal Fly Sparge 175 °F 169 °F 30 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.5 qt/lb
Starting Grain Temp: 72 °F
Quick Water Requirements
Water Gallons  Quarts
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 1.5 qt/lb 3.75 15  
Mash volume with grains 4.55 18.2  
Grain absorption losses -1.25 -5  
Remaining sparge water volume (equipment estimates 5.61 g | 22.5 qt) 5.25 21  
Mash Lauter Tun losses -0.25 -1  
Pre boil volume (equipment estimates 7.86 g | 31.5 qt) 7.5 30  
Boil off losses -2.25 -9  
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma) -0.06 -0.2  
Post boil Volume (equipment estimates 5.56 g | 22.2 qt) 6 24  
Hops absorption losses (whirlpool, hop stand) -0.06 -0.2  
WARNING: Exceeded batch size - reduce boil size    
Going into fermentor (equipment estimates 5.94 g | 23.8 qt) 5.5 22  
Total: 9 36
Equipment Profile Used: System Default
 
Notes

Set custom yeast attenuation for this because I am using Ultra-Ferm. Hoping for around 1.010 to keep it in style. Was worried that not using it would finish around 1.017, which is too high for style.

I’ve never had huge success with decoction mashes, added a small amount of Melanoidin, and I’m just doing a 3 step mash.
Dough In @ 122F for 15 minutes
Raise to 148F and hold for 30 minutes
Raise to 156F and hold for 30 minutes
Raise to 169F, vorlauf and being lautering

Using a strong 2 step starter at a good (1.5) pitch rate. I heard from white labs that all starter steps they do are always 48 hours each because it builds a thicker cell wall on the yeast, and they perform better.

Brewing for September 2026 local homebrew competition.

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  • Last Updated: 2026-07-17 00:48 UTC