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Rocktoberfest Lager

Brewed: 09/12/2021   Kegged: 09/28/2021

Yes, the Rockies' run to the World Series was a couple years ago and they quickly returned to the dismal team we are used to, but in honor of that amazing month and a half in 2007, I named my Oktoberfest beer "Rocktoberfest Ale".  Amazingly, after a pretty pathetic start in 2009, the Rockies turned things around from the 2nd to the worst record in the league to actually making the playoffs as the wild card again.  They really should thank me for making this beer, because I am sure without it, they never would have been able to make it.

Rocktoberfest Ale was a dark, balanced, almost sweet brew with a modest bitterness... great to drink on a cold October night watching someone else in the NLCS or World Series, or along with brats grilled in my backyard.  Heck, I even cracked open a few while watching the Broncos stink.

Starting in 2010, this changed to a classic Oktoberfest lager.  It is a clean lager with a rich German malt aroma and flavor.  It is dark gold, almost orange or red.  It's hop bitterness is pretty balanced, but may be toward the malty side.  There is not really a pronounced hop flavor or aroma.  It has a medium body with a smooth creamy mouth-feel.  The German Munich and Vienna malts come together nicely in this beer.

This was my 2nd lager and my 2nd All-Grain batch.

To be ready by October, I wanted to start brewing this toward the beginning of August.  But, things got busy and I ended up brewing late.  Here is a blog entry on the first brew day of this lager.

Batch 2 was basically the same as batch 1. Batch 3 was larger and used my new biab process. I also decided to use Columbus for the bittering hops, which certainly is not authentically German, but is a lot less expense than using Hallertauer for the same job. Batch 4 reverted back to my more traditional mash tun process rather than the BIAB.

Batch 7 was brewed in my Anvil Foundry in 2021.

To see blog posts about Rocktoberfest, go to: http://blog.ericshepard.com/search/label/Rocktoberfest


Rocktoberfest Lager --- Batch 7 (296)

Style Märzen Batch Size 5.50 gal
Type All Grain Boil Size   6.60 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency   68.00   Boil Time   60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity 1.057 SG Estimated FG 1.013 SG
Recipe Bitterness 24.9 IBUs (Rager) Alcohol by Volume 5.8 %
BU : GU   0.439        
Recipe Color 11.2 SRM
Color
   
Measured OG:   1.055    Measured FG:   1.013 
ADF:   75%    Measured ABV:   5.6

Ingredients

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
8.63 gal Denver, Colorado Water 1 - -
3.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash) Water Agent 2 - -
2.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash) Water Agent 3 - -
1.00 tsp Lactic Acid (Mash) Water Agent 4 - -
5 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 5 39.2 % 0.39 gal
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 31.4 % 0.31 gal
2 lbs 12.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 7 21.6 % 0.21 gal
1 lbs Caramunich Malt (45.0 SRM) Grain 8 7.8 % 0.08 gal
0.500 oz Magnum [10.90 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 22.2 IBUs -
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 10 - -
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins) Other 11 - -
1.000 oz Tettnang [3.90 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 12 2.6 IBUs -
1.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) [50.28 ml] Yeast 13 - -
0.50 tsp Gelatin (Bottling 1.0 days) Fining 14 - -

Mash Profile

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Saccharification Add 32.14 qt of water at 159.1 F 152.0 F 45 min
Heat Heat to 158.0 F over 10 min 158.0 F 15 min
Mash Out Heat to 170.0 F over 7 min 170.0 F 10 min


If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Brewing salts in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=74,Mg=8,Na=21,SO4=88,Cl=71,HCO3=104
Acid addition to bring calculated pH below 5.4
Boil and add hops as instructed above.
Chill as close to 50 degrees as possible.
Ferment cold for first week, raising temp 1 degree per day.
2nd week, ferment at room temperature.
Keg and chill add geletin.
Carbonate and enjoy.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:   Strike Temp:  
Mash Temps:  
Pre-boil OG   (1.051 SG)   Pre-boil Vol   (6.60 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency   Pitch Temp    
Fermentation            
Day 1: 
Day ... 
Day ... 

Click here to see previous recipes
 
Brewing Notes:
09/10/2021 esheppy
Bought ingredients today. Brew day Sunday.
09/12/2021 esheppy
Brew day went well. 1.055 OG. Preboil gravity low but volume high. Compensated with dme. Pitched yeast at 9:50 am.
09/13/2021 esheppy
Not many fermentation signs yet. I pitched two packs of yeast, so I was thinking things would start up quicker. Tilt says 1.050 at 52 degrees.
09/13/2021 esheppy
By the afternoon, fermentation was going nicely, and the Tilt gravity was down a couple of points. I cleaned a keg today, and added star san into it. I set up collecting CO2 from fermentation into the keg. We'll see how this works.
09/14/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.044 at 53 degrees. The controller is set at 52. Seems to be going well. Have not built up enough pressure in keg to push any liquid out.
09/16/2021 esheppy
Tilt at 1.018 and 54 degrees. Controller at 54. Still no star san pushed out.
09/17/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.015 at 55 degrees. Took out the tube running to the keg. The CO2 collection never happened as expected. Maybe I didn't seal the keg right.
09/19/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.009 at 58. Bubbling seems done. Raised controller to 58.
09/20/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.009 at 61. Disconnected the cooling system. Will keg by this coming weekend.
09/28/2021 esheppy
Kegged. 1.013 fg. Great color and flavor. Tried using my anvil closed transfer kit, but it didn't work at all with this keg.
10/01/2021 esheppy
Added gelatin last night. Drinking today. The clarity isn't there yet. Carbonation is getting close.
10/08/2021 esheppy
Clarity nice. Color perfect. Great flavor. Carbonation good. Ready for the MLB playoffs. Go brewers!
10/14/2021 esheppy
Beautiful crystal clear amber lager. Great Munich malt breadiness with nice caramel sweetness. Just enough hop bitterness to balance out the malt. Yummy. 😋
10/29/2021 esheppy
Still tasting great. I think next year (or next time I brew) I might reduce the caramunich. see http://blog.ericshepard.com/2021/10/rocktoberfest-vs-odells-oktoberfest.html
11/19/2021 esheppy
Yummy. 😋 I don't think this will least much longer.
11/21/2021 esheppy
Killed the keg last night. Really a great beer while it lasted.
Comments:
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