Oktoberfest! - Marzen
The wonderful style known to many Americans as "Oktoberfest" has deep routes in beer history. This malty, medium color and extremely crisp lager is not to be confused with a spiced October ale or anything with cinnamon sugar on the rim! The Märzen, or Märzenbier, was brewed before the heat of the summer took hold and quieted beer production. Märzen means March so this lager would be brewed far in advance, stored in a cool cellar over the summer and brought out to drink at the end of September, which then was turned into the Oktoberfest!
Ingredients
10 lbs pilsner malt
8 oz munich 1 malt
4 oz chocolate malt
1 oz hallertauer hops (60 minutes)
.75 oz tettnang hops (30 minutes)
1 oz hallertauer hops (2 minutes)
.25 oz tettnang hops (2 minutes)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 minutes)
Wyeast 2308
Procedure
Mashed 14 qt at 152 F for 60 minutes
Sparged with 5 gal at 180 F (brings my mash up to 168 - 170 F very nicely)
Brought to boil, followed hop schedule, chilled, siphoned off to bucket and pitched yeast.
OG: 12 brix (bad efficiency on this brew... will have to revisit my setup) @ 4.75 gallons
The yeast will need a starter or at least some warmth for the first 24 hours. After you see activity bring this beer down to about 52 F and let it ferment for 4 weeks in primary. Once finished bring to 62-66 F to help the yeast clean up some diacetyl flavors then lager (age) this beer until your Oktoberfest (at least 3 months) at a cool temperature; closer to 34 F is great.
Enjoy this beer at the end of a long summer with many friends! Prost!
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