Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Oktoberfest aging time?  (Read 1871 times)

Offline Robert

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4214
Re: Oktoberfest aging time?
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2020, 12:02:39 pm »
I should clarify, I'm pretty much like BrewBama.   I spund my beers, so they hit FG fully carbonated after about 7 days fermentation at normal fermentation temperatures.   Flavor is fully developed at this point.  The full 6-7 weeks lageri g is not necessarily needed to clarify the beer.  It's just an artifact of how my pipeline has evolved.  When it's full, that's how long it takes for a keg to come on tap.
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline mdyer909

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 78
Re: Oktoberfest aging time?
« Reply #16 on: February 22, 2020, 06:11:38 am »
I actually brewed a Marzen style beer last March and didn’t get around to bottling it until September.  Too many other chores got in the way.  I have an old dirt floor cellar that never gets above 50, the carboy sat down there for the summer.  Anyhow I was sure the beer was going to awful, but it was actually quite good.

TXFlyGuy

  • Guest
Re: Oktoberfest aging time?
« Reply #17 on: February 22, 2020, 06:52:41 am »
I actually brewed a Marzen style beer last March and didn’t get around to bottling it until September.  Too many other chores got in the way.  I have an old dirt floor cellar that never gets above 50, the carboy sat down there for the summer.  Anyhow I was sure the beer was going to awful, but it was actually quite good.

Good for you...and your Marzen!

Offline mabrungard

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2902
  • Water matters!
    • Bru'n Water
Re: Oktoberfest aging time?
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2020, 09:01:11 am »
As Dave said, age (aka: lager) until the beer tastes good. I can tell you that different yeasts require differing time to lager and enhance their flavor. So there isn't a single answer.
Martin B
Carmel, IN

BJCP National
Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)

Brewing Water Information at:
https://www.brunwater.com/

Like Bru'n Water on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Brun-Water-464551136933908/?ref=bookmarks

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Oktoberfest aging time?
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2020, 11:21:39 am »
Commercial brewing perspective: For most of our lagers at Yellowhammer we ferment cold (48-52) raising the temp after 72 hours or so to higfh 50s. after about a week or 10 days do a force diacetyl test. When that passes cold crash for about 3 days and centrifuge. There isn't really anything magical that is happening during an extended lagering period.

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4882
Re: Oktoberfest aging time?
« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2020, 12:02:20 pm »
My experience is similar to Keith’s but I often just start at 52F and rack when the gravity stabilizes.  A Tilt helps with this greatly.  Most finish in a week, but I had one lager recently take a full 14 days (34/70 dry yeast).
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

TXFlyGuy

  • Guest
Re: Oktoberfest aging time?
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2020, 05:54:34 pm »
My longest lagering time was around 2 months. Using Wyeast.
The beer was always bright and clear...as it should be after that amount of time. We always hold it at 32 degrees.