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My festbier had been lagering for about nine weeks, so this weekend, I kegged it. That brewday kind of sucked, but I still had high hopes.
Hah.
Color is way darker than intended (deep, warm gold as opposed to straw), and it's way too cloudy. WTF?
Way worse, though - this beer has a distinct fruity note to it, which reminds me a lot of the last time I brewed a festbier (which I also considered to be a failure).
How on earth do you get "fruity" from 80% pils, 20% munich, and maybe 25 IBUs of Hallertauer? Heck, this time I even switched to WLP833 in case WLP820 was being weird on me... and I've always had success with WLP820.
To add insult to injury, I picked up a sixer of Hofbrau Oktoberfest at World Market. I mean, even if my beer was off the mark, I could still enjoy a world class example of the style, right?
Right?
Opened the first bottle, and damn those green bottles... there is distinct skunk to the aroma. Damn, damn, damn. It's still not bad, but that sublime experience I've been looking forward to for months simply wasn't there.
Maybe all of the bottles won't be like that (hah, right).
Posted 34 days ago.
FWIW that sixer was probably a year old. I get a bit of plummy fruit from Munich as it ages/oxidizes.
Protip: lager *in* the keg.
Posted 34 days ago.
No, the fruity is my fresh homebrew.
The commercial sixer had some skunk aroma. Bottle date was June 9th, 2016 - defintiely NOT a year old.
Posted 34 days ago.
The good news is that I think that this roggebier may just be a success. It's a tad sweeter than I had expected, and still doesn't have quite the banana that I thought I might get (though it honestly does have a lot)... but it's pretty good, I think. A little more poundable than I thought it might be.
Posted 34 days ago.
Lager in the keg? What's this all about? *Disclaimer: I'm a total noob when it comes to anything lagers. I rarely drink them, never make them (too hot here) but am taking the steps in the next few months to keg as well as control ferm temps...so now I'm really curious.
Posted 34 days ago.
Lagering is simply storing the beer at cold temps for conditioning. Traditionally, people would ferment their lager in primary, rack to secondary and lager there, then bottle or keg. Kid is suggesting to transfer from primary directly to a keg, stick that in the keezer, and allow lagering to happen there.
I personally lager in primary (lots of people do this now), then package (i.e. transfer to keg).
I personally lager in primary (lots of people do this now), then package (i.e. transfer to keg).
Posted 34 days ago.
Munich malts give some cherry/fruit flavor.
Posted 34 days ago.
@rayfound, that's a character I've really only found I get when using Munich malt from a certain maltster. Weyermann Munich light tends to be less sappy/rich and more toasty, in my very anecdotal experience.
I lager with gelatin ;p
Posted 34 days ago.
It is odd to me that I've only gotten this flavor in this recipe. 80% Weyermann floor malted pilsner, 20% Weyermann munich II (9L).
I mean, it's not objectively bad. Light, easy to drink, malty with a fruity tone. It's just that when compared to the Festbier style, it's off. I'm guessing that it's just too much Munich in such a simple grist?
Posted 34 days ago.
Festbier is basically a helles brewed a higher gravity, from.what I can tell... 20% Munich seems a bit high.
But I thought weyermann Munich was like 5-7L, no ?.... Oh, you used Munich 2... Which is more similar in color (and maybe character) as the Gambrinus Munich, which I do find have a tangy/cherry/fruit undertone. Not unpleasant at all, just need to be aware of it, and use accordingly.
Posted 34 days ago.
Yep. I think that this is my issue. Live and learn.
I think that next time, I use Munich I (lower L rating) and less of it.
Posted 34 days ago.
Weyermann Munich 2, ime, imparts an almost tangy sourdough bread flavor, and I believe it's like 20-25L compared to Gambrinus' 10L.
Posted 34 days ago.
That said, I would not be surprised if it is more similar to gambrinus with that tangy/fruity note, given they are similar colors.
Posted 34 days ago.
