100 Octane Oktoberfest

This is a 1999 BJCP style 9a beer.

Recipe: Oktoberfest - German Amber Lager
Volume: 5 gallons
Dates:

Brew date: Sep 21, 2003
Transfer to secondary: Sep 28, 2003
Bottling: Oct 18, 2003

Ingredients:

Water source: basement utility sink filtered dispenser
Yeast: White Labs WLP810 San Francisco Lager (pitchable vial)

Grain bill

	Potential sg pppg	Points per gal
6 lbs Briess pale 2-row malt 2 1/2 lb Briess Munich malt 1/2 lb Briess Carapils malt 1/2 lb Briess caramel 60L malt	1.037 1.033 1.033 1.036	222.00 82.50 16.50 18.00
	Ideal: Pre-boil: Target:	339 339 339	/ 5 gal = 67.8 >>> 1.068 * 70% / 6 gal = 39.6 >>> 1.040 * 70% / 5 gal = 47.5 >>> 1.048

Hops

1 oz German Perle hops - bittering - 8.3% avg alpha Utilization: 60 minutes @ 1.040 = 25.2%	*IBU = 1 8.3 * 25.2 * 0.75 / 5 = 31.4**
1/2 oz German Hallertauer Hersbrucker hops - flavor - 7% avg alpha Utilization: 20 minutes @ 1.040 = 15.3%	*IBU = 0.5 7 * 15.3 * 0.75 / 5 = 8.0**
1 oz German Spalt Select hops - aroma - 5.6% avg alpha Utilization: 5 minutes @ 1.040 = 5%	*IBU = 1 5.6 * 5 * 0.75 / 5 = 4.2**
	Total IBU = 44

Other

1/2 teaspoon Irish Moss
20 minutes 2 teaspoons gypsum
beginning of mash

Activity Log

Yeast Starter:

24 hrs before brew, boiled 2 oz of pale malt extract in 20 oz of water in flask for 10 minutes. Cooled in ice water bath in a bowl. Pitched vial of yeast and fitted stopper and airlock.

Mash/Lauter/Sparge:

Added gypsum to 4 gallons of 168 f water and infused onto grain. Heated while stirring to reach 152 f and mashed for 30 minutes. Iodine test showed conversion complete. Scooped into lauter tun, recirculating until relatively clear. Sparged with 170 f water until run-off fell below 1.015 at sparge temperature. Added ~4 quarts to kettle to bring to 6 gallons.

Boil:

Boiled through first break then added bittering hops. Boiled for 40 minutes then added flavoring hops and Irish Moss. Boiled for 15 more minutes then added finishing hops. Added cooling coil for the last 10 minutes of the 60 minute boil to sterilize. Cooled to ~75 f and siphoned to fermenter taking a reading of 1.048, with a volume of about 4.5 gallons. Had a bit of trouble with the whole hops clogging the racking cane strainer. Aerated by rocking carboy on folded towel and pitched yeast starter. Fitted stopper with airlock and put on basement floor.

Fermentation:

Observations of primary stage (7 PM start):

12 hours: 1/2 inch foam, 2/3 bubble per second, 68 f
24 hours: 3 inches foam, 1 bubble per second, 67.6 f
36 hours: 2 inches foam, 3/4 bubble per second
60 hours: 2 inches foam, 1/2 bubble per second, 67.4 f
72 hours: 1 1/2 inches foam, 1/2 bubble per second
120 hours: 1/2 inches foam, 1/4 bubble per second, 66.7 f
168 hours: scattered foam, 1/20 bubble per second, 66.2 f

Observations of secondary stage:

180 hours: patches of bubbles, 1 bubble per minute, 66 f
240 hours: patches of bubbles, 1 bubble every 2 minutes, 64.9 f

Bottling:

Siphoned 2 liter bottle 4/5 full, squeezed the air out and forced carbonated. Took FG reading of 1.010 which puts the alcohol content at about 5.0% ABV. Boiled 4 1/2 oz of corn sugar in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes and cooled pan with ice bath in sink. Placed sugar solution in bottling bucket and siphoned from secondary into bottling bucket. Filled and capped 40 12 oz bottles.

See 100 Octane Oktoberfest labels here.

Results:

Taste from cylinder used to check final gravity was very smooth and tasty.