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Frostfire


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Batch Size (gallons)5.5
Efficiency74%
Recipe typeAll Grain
Style3B. Oktoberfest/Marzen
Original Gravity1.065
Final Gravity1.016
ABV6.43% (basic)   /   6.44% (advanced)       [what's this?]
IBU28.4
Color13.5 SRM
Boil Time90 min

YeastWhite Labs WLP820 (Octoberfest/Marzen Lager)

Fermentables
NameAmtPctSRM
Munich Malt4 lbs 4 oz31.8%9
Pilsner (2 Row) German4 lbs29.9%2
Vienna Malt3 lbs 8 oz26.2%3.5
Melanoiden Malt 8 oz3.7%20
Caramunich Malt 8 oz3.7%56
Cara-Pils/Dextrine 8 oz3.7%2
Carafa III 2 oz0.9%525

Hops
NameAmtTimeAlphaIBU
Tettnang (Boil).88 oz604.5%15.4
Hallertauer (Boil).75 oz604.8%9.3
Hallertauer (Boil).25 oz204.8%1.9
Tettnang (Boil).18 oz204.5%1.9

DirectionsNote the 90 minute boil time due to the Pilsner malt. 

Mash @ 149 degrees F for 60 minutes. 


Fermentation
notes
Be sure to chill wort to at least the mid 50s F before pitching yeast.

Ferment @ 50 degrees F until ~80% attenuation is reached.

Allow temp to free rise to the mid 60s F for a diacetyl rest.

Once terminal gravity is reached, lager as cold as possible for as long as you can stand.  I personally lager @ 33 degrees F for at least 8 weeks.  When I brewed this beer, I lagered for four months.

Carb to 2.7 volumes of CO2.

Tasting
notes
Absolutely delicious malt depth, with a surprisingly crisp mouthfeel and finish.  Certainly on the malty end of the style, something akin to the Samuel Adams version, though a bit cleaner, and not as sweet. 

CreditsThis was my very first lager recipe. I developed this recipe from scratch - albeit with a good deal of input from the homebrewtalk and /r/homebrewing communities - and I also spent a great deal of time with Ray Daniels' superb book, Designing Great Beers.  Finally, I'd like to thank Rob Vermillion, an excellent brewing friend, who gave a great deal of insight into brewing lagers in general.

Since I brewed this beer out of season for a traditional Oktoberfest, I refer to it as a Winterfest lager.  The name "Frostfire" comes from the connotations of winter cold and the red color this beer was designed to contain.

The gravity sample had led me to believe that this beer would be more amber than red, but in actuality, it is a gorgeous, deep red in color. I feel like I really managed to capture almost every aspect of this beer that I was shooting for... I am extremely happy with the result. If I bought a six pack of this beer, I would be very happy with it.  




Recipe Reviews

Type: Drank this Beer

Poured with about a half inch of fine foam. Almost orange in the glass. Hint of orange and smoke on the nose. Also, something on the nose denotes 'sweet' in my mind. That is the most prominent sensation and prepares the palate for sweetness. The promise is delivered on the palate with enough hops to keep the malty sensation of sweetness from being cloying. Other than that, the hops seem to be deep in the background. By the end of the glass the head is barely covering the top, but, I'd have to say that this one is perfectly carbonated. Finishing up the glass, I can't get away from the slight orange flavor. It is really enticing and unique.

I think I've finally found a lager that I like! You should not have done that to me. You'll have me searching for another fermentation chamber......

Tami tried it and wants the other.

Your beers are consistently very good. The three I've tried would be a great lineup at any brewery. Do you ever have plans to start a small brewery? Do you have any experience with larger equipment? Somebody needs to leave you some money so you can open a brewery.


posted by vinpaysdoc on 9/3/2014


This all grain Oktoberfest/Marzen homebrew recipe was submitted by homebrewdad.