45 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

Oktoberfest is a bit much for me, these days, but I'm a huge fan of the smaller beer festivals in Germany. It's great to sit at a table under the big tent with some strangers and bring a rack of beers (you can often buy a metal 8-pack holder of small beers) and set them out for the table. When it is time, someone else will usually just replace the rack. It's a great way to quickly become a part of a group of new friends. That's what the one I'm planning to go to is like.

 

I'm also a fan of Frühschoppen, which is when a crowd gathers at the tent when it opens at 7 or 8 am and settles in for a long day of hanging out.

 

that actually sounds perfect for me.  I suspect I'm too old to handle the real deal o'fest

[neddles]

Timely. New Glarus just released this year's Staghorn (their octoberfest). I picked up a few 6er's and am having one now. Really delicious. Toasty malt and light caramel up front with an almost paradoxically dry crisp finish and light-med body. The color is almost fluorescent orange. Fantastic. 

[3rd party JKor]

Yup, it's that time of year again for me to say that Sam Adams octoberfest is absolutely awful. I hate it.

[positiveContact]

Yup, it's that time of year again for me to say that Sam Adams octoberfest is absolutely awful. I hate it.

 

 

I had some boston lager for the first time in a long time recently and it was actually pretty good.

[3rd party JKor]

I like the Boston Lager quite a bit.  They are really hit or miss for me.  I feel like they are either trying to brew a nice beer of a specific style, or trying to cater to the masses.  The cater to the masses beers tend to be popular but crappy.

 

Their Rebel series IPAs are good, not world class, but solid.  I've liked their pilsner offerings.  Their scwarzbier is really good, Black Lager.

[Brauer]

that actually sounds perfect for me.  I suspect I'm too old to handle the real deal o'fest

When I was a kid, a rack of beers cost about $1. I (mis-)spent a few perfect days of my youth that way, too. 

[SchwanzBrewer]

Yup, it's that time of year again for me to say that Sam Adams octoberfest is absolutely awful. I hate it.

 

It's been a while since I've had one, but I used to like it. It was my favorite beer from SA.

[3rd party JKor]

It has a weird flavor to me.  I'm not sure what it is.  I can drink it, but it always leaves me disappointed.

[SchwanzBrewer]

It has a weird flavor to me.  I'm not sure what it is.  I can drink it, but it always leaves me disappointed.

 

I thought that exact way about boston lager for a long time. I tried it again recently and either my palate changed or something else did, because it's a decent lager to me now.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Brew to glass in 19 days and it's flawless.

[3rd party JKor]

Brew to glass in 19 days and it's flawless.

 

 

 

I tried SA Okto again.  Same story.  Tastes weird to me.

[Brauer]

 

 

I tried SA Okto again.  Same story.  Tastes weird to me.

It may be a perfectly fine beer, if it is to your taste, it just isn't much of an Oktoberfest.  If anyone happens to be in Somerville, a pub near me (Olde Magoun Saloon) currently has 10 German Oktoberfests on tap, including Ayinger and Weihenstephaner, as well as a few Wiesn (I prefer traditional Maerzens, myself, but I know a lot of people like these milder, paler versions, like they serve at the Oktober festival).

[SchwanzBrewer]

Mine turned out at 5.4% abv, very pretty amber/orange color. Nice malt flavor with a hint of sweetness and some supporting bitterness. A little hop flavor too that I expect will fade. Crystal clear at 19 days. It just looks inviting to drink.

 

I based the recipe on BCS recipe, but instead of C-60 I used caramunich III. I wonder if Jamil would have done the same thing had there been caramunich III available when he wrote that book. They are essentially made in the same way, but the base malt is different and so is the flavor.

[HVB]

Mine turned out at 5.4% abv, very pretty amber/orange color. Nice malt flavor with a hint of sweetness and some supporting bitterness. A little hop flavor too that I expect will fade. Crystal clear at 19 days. It just looks inviting to drink.

 

I based the recipe on BCS recipe, but instead of C-60 I used caramunich III. I wonder if Jamil would have done the same thing had there been caramunich III available when he wrote that book. They are essentially made in the same way, but the base malt is different and so is the flavor.

Caramunich was not available back then?  I swore some recipes in that book called for it.

 

Also this thread needs a picture of the beer!

[3rd party JKor]

It's in the original malt inventory in promash, sonit's been around since at least '98. Maybe not to homebrewers, but i feel like i've been seeing it around since way before BCS was published.
And yes, many BCS recipes include caramunich.

[positiveContact]

It's in the original malt inventory in promash, sonit's been around since at least '98. Maybe not to homebrewers, but i feel like i've been seeing it around since way before BCS was published.
And yes, many BCS recipes include caramunich.

 

I say no sir!  no caramunich in my o'fest.  okay, fine, a little bit would be okay but I better not detect caramel flavors!

[SchwanzBrewer]

Huh, thought I added a reply to this already...

 

BCS was published in 2007. I thought it was published in 1998 or 1999. I figured there wasn't nearly the malt availability there is today for homebrewers then. That's what I get for assuming things! 

 

Either way, the beer turned out nicely. We'll see how it evolves in the next several weeks and I'll adjust the recipe from there. Now I'd say it's highly quaffable, which is what a fest bier should be, IMO. 

[SchwanzBrewer]

Served the O-fest at the party on Saturday. It was even better after some lagering time. Pretty good recipe, but I might go a with a little more caramunich III next time.

[positiveContact]

Served the O-fest at the party on Saturday. It was even better after some lagering time. Pretty good recipe, but I might go a with a little more caramunich III next time.

 

I just don't get that.  I never want anything resembling cara anything coming through in my o'fest.  do you get that in imported marzens?

[SchwanzBrewer]

I just don't get that.  I never want anything resembling cara anything coming through in my o'fest.  do you get that in imported marzens?

 

I dunno it's been a while since I've had a real marzen from Germany. My buddy hasn't been back there in a while so my authentic german beer supply has dwindled and I don't trust bottle shops around here to have anything that's fresh enough to compare to.

 

I basically modeled the recipe on BCS and subbed CM3 for C-60. Turned out great. It doesn't have a caramel aroma/flavor. It's more like munich on steroids malty (the CM3 contribution).