Octoberfest

9/9/02 - Octoberfest- First of all I'd like to apologize about not updating the site with information on the final two batches of our IPA. We were just flat out trying to keep up with demand this summer (thank you kind Smutty drinkers!) The changes were subtle and had to do with hopping ratios and fermentation temperatures. If you have questions please feel free to email me.


And so we move forward to our next selection in the Big Beer Series, the Smuttynose Octoberfest. Last fall we had made some modifications to our brewhouse and I noticed that we'd now be able to perform decoction mashes. Having never played on a system that could do this, I was itching to boil some grain. Not quite sure how it would turn out we decided to go for it and see what would happen. (We just ain't scared of these things here at the 'nose.) Our grist was simple and consisted of 55% pale malt and 45% Munich malt. I was hoping to do a double decoction but once we transferred the boiled grain our mixed temperature was a tad high (in some spots the thermometer was reading 180°F!)


We proceeded to lauter the mash instead of doing a second decoction and began the boil at around 14°P. I was looking for a starting gravity of 16°P and extended the boil to achieve this. The thought was to add some caramelization to the character of the beer without adding crystal malt (and its sometimes cloying sweetness).


The hopping was bumped up from my original plan of 28 IBU's to the mid 30's, thinking that we may not have achieved full conversion during the decoction and would end up with a lot of residual sweetness. We boiled with 100% Northern Brewer for the full boil and added 11 lbs of Tetenanger ten minutes before the whirlpool.


We ended up pitching our ale yeast, having run out of the lager strain. We still fermented at 55°F and were able to drop right on down to 3.4°P (go Chico!) I'd definitely like to give this recipe another shot and do the double decoction as well as ferment with the lager yeast, but we still ended up with a real nice beer. The color is a bright orange with a big malty nose touched with a hint of alcohol. There's some toffee in the body and that big hop character finishing it out. Enjoy!

Malt:
2 Row Pilsner
10° L Munich

OG 15.7° P
TG 3.4° P

Hops:
Northern Brewer Bittering
Tettnanger Aroma