11 replies to this topic

[neddles]

There's been some talk about Festbiers here lately and I think I'm going to give one a go tonight. An SNS of 2308 was started this morning. I'll outline the basic recipe below but feel free to guide me where you will. I have zero experience with the style other than the knowledge that is kinda splits the difference between Helles and Maibock/Hellesbock.

 

The Floor Malted Bohemian Dark Malt is Weyermann's floor malted Munich. It's essentially a 6.5L light Munich with a very pleasant light toasty quality to it. The midnight wheat is obviously just for a hint of color. I'm shooting for the lower end of the style to keep it drinkable and because my experience with Barke (N=2) is that it has a touch higher extract than I usually get from a pils malt. However, this bag of Barke is new so I have not used it yet.

 

Malt. Would a version with a smaller amount of dark Munich be appropriate/better? What about 2-4oz melanoiden, appropriate? Unnecessary?

 

Hops. Too hoppy? Not enough? Add the Mitt. at 10 or 5 instead?

 

Water. Where to go with this... I'm building from RO so give your suggestions for mineral content.

 

6 gallons

OG 1.055

SRM 6

IBU 25

 

75% Barke Pils

25% Floor Malted Bohemian Dark Malt

9g Midnight Wheat (for color)

mash 148ºF/45min and 160ºF/15min

 

21g Gr. Magnum @30

21g Hallertau Mitt. @ 15

 

WY2308 Munich Lager

[Big Nake]

On this last Oktoberfest Lager I made, the water numbers were: Ca 60, Mg: 12, Na: 13, Cl: 60, SO4: 37. I think everything else looks nice. I personally only hop it once and I hit it hard enough to make sure it's not too malty... one addition at the beginning of the boil to get to about 28 IBUs. That's just a personal preference. Do you have any Carafa Special III to use in place of the MW? It wouldn't matter much. Also, all of the Barke I used from various bags at the local supplier were really nice. I switched to Swaen just to check it out and I have been really happy with it. Simplicity is key here so this last one was just 65% pils, 35% Munich 2 (I think it was Avangard), bittering hops to 28 IBUs and the Augustiner yeast. Good luck and enjoy the brewday.

[neddles]

On this last Oktoberfest Lager I made, the water numbers were: Ca 60, Mg: 12, Na: 13, Cl: 60, SO4: 37. I think everything else looks nice. I personally only hop it once and I hit it hard enough to make sure it's not too malty... one addition at the beginning of the boil to get to about 28 IBUs. That's just a personal preference. Do you have any Carafa Special III to use in place of the MW? It wouldn't matter much. Also, all of the Barke I used from various bags at the local supplier were really nice. I switched to Swaen just to check it out and I have been really happy with it. Simplicity is key here so this last one was just 65% pils, 35% Munich 2 (I think it was Avangard), bittering hops to 28 IBUs and the Augustiner yeast. Good luck and enjoy the brewday.

 

Thanks. Yours looks considerably more on the malty side than mine. Is yours going to be more similar to what you might find at the German festival?

 

I thought a touch of late hops might not be a bad idea considering the increased gravity over a Helles. Maybe the balance isn't needed?

 

Your water is very much like what I was thinking. 

[HVB]

Thanks. Yours looks considerably more on the malty side than mine. Is yours going to be more similar to what you might find at the German festival?

 

I thought a touch of late hops might not be a bad idea considering the increased gravity over a Helles. Maybe the balance isn't needed?

 

Your water is very much like what I was thinking. 

From what I had in Germany the beer at the festival is a 6% Helles.  I did the Pils/Munich 2 beer last year with both at 50% and it was a great beer but nothing like I was served there.

[neddles]

From what I had in Germany the beer at the festival is a 6% Helles.  I did the Pils/Munich 2 beer last year with both at 50% and it was a great beer but nothing like I was served there.

Thanks. So mostly pils character from the malt? How was the color? Any late hop character?

[HVB]

Thanks. So mostly pils character from the malt? How was the color? Any late hop character?

Pretty light, maybe a touch of Munich or Vienna.  No real late hops ( although I like it) it was manly pils and what the yeast gave it.

 

Photos for refrence

 

[Big Nake]

I am considering mine more of an Oktoberfest but without the higher gravity... light amber color, more maltiness and depth, etc. If a "festbier" is really an "export helles" then I consider mine an Oktoberfest Lager. The late hop thing is something I consider often. Sometimes when I add only bittering hops, the beer can get a sort of sweet candy-like character to it. I don't mean underattenuated but it's just a little cloying and low sulfate can work in that direction too so I try to boost the bittering hops a little bit, mash low and make sure that the beer is fully attenuated before I keg it.

[neddles]

Ok thanks guys. The Drez beers look great so I think I'll nix the MW. Dropping the late dose of hops just a touch and upping the 30 min. Magnum a touch as well. This will be my first use of an SNS starter on a lager as well, so lots of new stuff going on here.

[Big Nake]

Ok thanks guys. The Drez beers look great so I think I'll nix the MW. Dropping the late dose of hops just a touch and upping the 30 min. Magnum a touch as well. This will be my first use of an SNS starter on a lager as well, so lots of new stuff going on here.

See? There should be some kind of reference for all this new stuff.

Thanks. Yours looks considerably more on the malty side than mine.

The first batch I made with this general recipe was 50/50 pils and Munich 2. I thought it was a bit of a malt bomb. I realize that some Oktoberfests ARE a malt bomb on purpose but I thought I would dial it back and go 65/35 instead which is what I did here. The color is lighter and the character may be more in balance. I'll be sampling it Friday night... probably.

[neddles]

Brew day (night) went smooth on this one. Datapoint- Pitched a very active 1L SNS of WY2308 at room temp into 5.5 gal. of 1.055 wort at @50ºF. I have a hint of activity at 12 hrs post pitch.

[Bklmt2000]

It'll likely be rocking at 24 hours post-pitch.

[Big Nake]

It'll likely be rocking at 24 hours post-pitch.

Agreed. This should be a delicious beer. 2308 is a boss of a yeast... very versatile, good attenuater and a good floccer too.