Ok guys and gals, I just saw the Sam Adams Octoberfest commercial and they flashed the 5 types of grains that they use. Well, I have a DVR so I hit rewind and paused each of them to get the names. The first one was almost not readable but I got close. Here is the list.

Moravtan
Caramel 60
Metcalfe
Harrington
Munich

Now here is my problem. I know the caramel 60 and Munich but the others I don't and my LHBS doesn't have them listed on his site. Can anyone here come up with some of the more common grains that I could use in place of them? This will be a true experiment lol.

Thanks

John

Tags: beck oktoberfest recipe

Also I forgot to say that this will be an extract recipe if that helps.

OK, here's the best I can do...

Moravian (Not Moravtan), is a Bohemian Pilsner Malt. -Link: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_i ... ts_id=2261

As far as I can tell, Metcalf and Harrington are not types of malt per se, rather they are a variety of malting barley (2-row). -Link: http://www.probrewer.com/resources/malt/metcalf.php

I hope this helps some. I'm not handy with extracts, so I'm no real help to you there.


Cheers
Dave

If I had to throw together an extract bill for this, I guess it would look like this:

Munich extract (amount?)
Steep Bohemian Pilsner (amount?)
Steep Caramel 60 (amount?)

and to hell with metcalf and harrington? whatever they are?

I dunno. Like I said, I'm no good with extract recipe's.

Cheers again,
Dave

Very interesting, thanks Dave. That gives me a little to start with. As far as the recipes, I am just starting to play with making my own. It can be a little scary. I will start plugging these into beersmith and see what I come up with.

A little more digging around, and I've come to these conclusions:

Harrington and Metcalf are pale or mild malts. Northern Brewer's Munich extract covers your pale and munich malt needs.

Also, the hops used for the Oktoberfest seems to be Tettnang Tettnanger.

If you end up brewing this one, please keep me posted. I've been drinking a lot of Oktoberfest lately (I prefer Beck's), and I'd like to know how yours ends up.

Best of Luck, and

Cheers
Dave

Hey, i know those guys!!(metcalf and harrington)
Sounds like they complicated it up for the commercial.
I have not seen alot of those on any of my wholesalers websites.
I will keep my eyes open for those grains or extract that is the same when i am ordering brew supplies.

I love it!!!!!!!!



-J

Ok, I am getting closer lol. Now I have an even bigger issue at hand. I realize that an Octoberfest is a lager. I want to go for the taste but I have no way of keeping those temps for fermenting here in Az. What yeast could I use in place of a Bavarian Lager that would give me the same flavor? I really don't want to go with a hefe yeast because I don't want the banana and clove flavors. Any Ideas here guys. Has anyone tried a yest that might work? I am posting the recipe that I am working on and please feel free to let me know if you see something not right. No one likes to brew a bad batch right. I plugged in the german ale yeast to get it in there although that is what I am leaning towards right now unless I get some other ideas. And it has been so long since I brewed that the amounts are probably not right on the extract and grains either. I played around with them until they matched up with the style guidelines. The hops are some that I got from jeepguy and I really liked the flavor of them so I will be using tem on this one also. The only thing I might change there is the amount.

Thanks
John


Type: Extract
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Heavenlyfire Homebrew
Boil Size: 3.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: Brew Pot (5 Gallon)


Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Pilsner Liquid Extract (3.5 SRM) Extract 60.87 %
3.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 26.09 %
1.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 13.04 %
2.00 oz Select Spalt [4.75 %] (60 min) Hops 21.5 IBU
0.50 oz Select Spalt [4.75 %] (15 min) Hops 2.7 IBU
1 Pkgs German Ale (Wyeast Labs #1007) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Measured Original Gravity: SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Measured Final Gravity: SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.46 %
Actual Alcohol by Vol: %
Bitterness: 24.2 IBU
Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 13.2 SRM

Steep grains as desired (30-60 minutes)

Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.7
Pressure/Weight: 4.6 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F
Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

Notes

The dominant flavor in an Oktoberfest should be, in my opinion at least, the malts. I think the main idea here is to find a clean yeast that lets the malts shine through. Since you have no way of keeping a lager temperature, I'd look for a very clean, very neutral ale yeast. The cleanest, most neutral ale yeast I know of, is Danstar Nottingham (cheap too!). Nottingham is very neutral all the way up to 75 degrees. This yeast should be perfect for letting the munich extract, and pilsner and crystal malts, shine through.

At least, thats what I'd try.

And you're absolutely right, a hefe or wheat yeast would give you some flavors you really aren't shooting for. It might not be a 'bad' tasting beer, but it certainly wouldn't be an Oktoberfest.

That's my $.02 anyway. Let me know what you decide.

Cheers
Dave

As for the recipe, here are my thoughts:

Instead of Pilsner Extract, I'd use Munich Extract because:
1. You really want Munich flavor in an Oktoberfest.
2. You already have Pilsner malts being steeped.

Also, if those are the Spalt Selects from Jeepguy, then you need to adjust the alpha % from 4.75 to 1.5 (or even a little lower, depending on how old they are), if you want to get any kind of accuracy on your IBU's.

So, with those changes in mind, here's what I've come up with (using the Homebrew Alchemist).

7 lbs. Munich Extract
3 lbs. Bohemian Pilsner
1.5 lbs. Cyrstal 60
4 oz. Spalt Select (1.25%) 60 Minutes
3 oz. Spalt Select (1.25%) 15 Minutes
1 pkg. Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.42 %
Bitterness: 24.6 IBU
Est Color: 11.3 SRM

Steep grains as desired (30-60 minutes)

The SRM could potentially be way off, as the Homebrew Alchemist didn't have Munich Extract, and I added it in with a guestimate for Color Potential.

Notice the VAST difference in hops quantity needed, if you correct your alpha % (if, of course, that I am correct in assuming that your Spalt Selects are from jeepguy, and are indeed 1.5% alpha).

Hope I've helped some!

Cheers
Dave

**EDIT**
Alternately, you could continue with the pilsner extract, but steep Munich malt in place of the pilsner malt.

Sorry, the only reason I had the pilsner extract is because Beer Smith doesn't have the munich either lol. As for the hops, is there any way to test them for the alpha rating? Yes they area little older but they are vacuum packed and frozen. I don't know if that helps but I hoped so, that is why I bought them like that. And yes you have been a great help Dave, thank you. I have been doing this for a couple of years now but I still have a lot to learn and it is people like you that I am glad are around.

Thanks

John

Always glad to help Heavenlyfire!

As for the hops, even at 1.5 % alpha, you'd need quite a bit to reach your desire goal of 24(ish) IBU's. When you buy your hops, always check the alpha %, so that you can adjust them for your recipe's.
I've made a few more adjustments, based on these facts:
-Munich Extract might be hard to find (Northern Brewer is currently sold out, and this extract is seasonal only).
-Munich Malt is nearly always available, as is Pilsner Extract.
-Norther Brewer Extract syrups come in 6 lb. jugs, not 7. (I'm unsure of anyone else's, as I said, I'm not an extract brewer.)

And here's what I got:

6 lbs. Pilsen Extract (Northern Brewer)
1 lb. Crystal 60
5 lbs. Munich Malt
4 oz. Spalt Select (1.5%) 60 Minutes [22.4 IBU's]
1 oz. Spalt select (1.5%) 15 Minutes [2.8 IBU's]
(Optional Hops Schedule, using 1 oz. Cascade Hops @ 5%)
1 oz. Cascade (5%) 60 Minutes [18.7 IBU's]
2 oz. Spalt Select (1.5%) 15 Minutes [5.6 IBU's]

OG Estimate - 1.050
FG Estimate - 1.012
Estimate IBU's - 25.2 [24.2 IBU's for optional Hops Schedule]
Estimate SRM - 12.4

I made these adjustments mostly so that you don't end up with an extra, nearly full jug of pilsner extract, nor a 1/2 lb. of crystal malt. As for the additional hops schedule, I added that in case you decided you didn't want to put 5 ounces of hops into your beer. That's a lot of hops, and you might lose some head retention by using so much. Of course, it could make for a wonderful tasting beer!

Anyway, just keep plugging away with beersmith, and I'm sure you'll end up with a great recipe. I always find it helpful to look at the website (or homebrew store) where I intend on purchasing my ingredients while making a recipe. Also, you want repeatable results, particularly when it comes to bitterness, so always check your alpha %, and adjust your recipe for it.

When do you think you'll get around to making your Oktoberfest?


Cheers
Dave

Well I am hoping to do it this weekend but I think next weekend is looking more feesable. I was looking at the website for my LHBS and they only have Muntons and Breiss extracts. Is Pilsen the same as Pilsner? they have a Breiss Pilsen DME and I can get it in 3.3 lb bags. There is another HBS on my side of town but I'll be dogged if I can remember the name of it or where it is. I might have to do some looking on that to see what they have.

Thanks
John

Hey John,

As far as I know, pilsen and pilsner are the same thing, extract-wise.

Just wanted to say good luck with your beer. Let us know what recipe you end up using, and how it turns out!

Cheers
Dave