Can I make an Oktoberfest home brew without lagering it? What yeast do I use and how long do I ferment?
I’d like to make an Oktoberfest but don’t currently have the equipment to lager. Can I still make it and ferment at 65-70? And would I still ferment the same amount of time? Or would this completely ruin my beer? If I HAVE to lager? What do I need to buy? A frig big enough for my fermenting bucket I’m guessing? Thanks!
I always call ale based Oktoberfests ‘Mocktoberfests’ since you can’t truely replicate the style without lagering it properly.
I like the mocktoberfest I made last year with Wyeast 2565 kolsch yeast (since its pretty clean fermenting).
How to Brew Your Own Porter Beer : Equipment For Home Brewing Stout Beer: Part 1
I brew a lot of bock and occasional other lagers without a lagering refrigerator. Get a marine cooler and stand it on end. It will hold the bucket or carboy plus a rotating series of 2 L soda bottles filled with ice.
References :
Comment by oikos — November 7, 2009 @ 1:38 am
oikos gives good advice. If that isn’t possible you can also use the same recipe and use an ale yeast with it. The taste is slightly different, but it remarkably good. Someone who doesn’t drink Oktoberfest on a regular basis would probably not know the difference.
Good luck and enjoy!
References :
Comment by shooter1 — November 7, 2009 @ 2:08 am
I always call ale based Oktoberfests ‘Mocktoberfests’ since you can’t truely replicate the style without lagering it properly.
I like the mocktoberfest I made last year with Wyeast 2565 kolsch yeast (since its pretty clean fermenting).
References :
Comment by Bridgeport IPA — November 7, 2009 @ 2:57 am