[Bel Air Brewing]

I have one currently in the fermenter:
74% pilsner
14% munich II
12% munich I

S-189/w3470 blend

Basically took my helles bock and brought the gravity down...

We did use W-34/70 for 10 gallons, with the above recipe. It turned out to be an exact clone brew of Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest. All of us preferred the version with the Wyeast 2366.

[Iliff Ave]

I have one currently in the fermenter:
74% pilsner
14% munich II
12% munich I

S-189/w3470 blend

Basically took my helles bock and brought the gravity down...

We did use W-34/70 for 10 gallons, with the above recipe. It turned out to be an exact clone brew of Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest. All of us preferred the version with the Wyeast 2366.

I can only assume that yeast is great. I’ve been experimenting with blending dry yeasts to make my lagers more interesting. I prefer dry yeast at this point due to convenience. I think I only use liquid in kolsch because I haven’t found a good dry alternative.

[Bel Air Brewing]

I have one currently in the fermenter:
74% pilsner
14% munich II
12% munich I

S-189/w3470 blend

Basically took my helles bock and brought the gravity down...

We did use W-34/70 for 10 gallons, with the above recipe. It turned out to be an exact clone brew of Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest. All of us preferred the version with the Wyeast 2366.

I can only assume that yeast is great. I’ve been experimenting with blending dry yeasts to make my lagers more interesting. I prefer dry yeast at this point due to convenience. I think I only use liquid in kolsch because I haven’t found a good dry alternative.

First time for us to use it. And, it makes an awesome Fest Bier. We were a little skeptical at the outset, but now have come to really like the 2366.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have one currently in the fermenter:
74% pilsner
14% munich II
12% munich I

S-189/w3470 blend

Basically took my helles bock and brought the gravity down...

The current festbiers are between an export and Heller Bock. There are some differences between breweries.

On another forum a guy said the Weihenstefaner's is all Pils malt with a decoction.

[Iliff Ave]

I have one currently in the fermenter:
74% pilsner
14% munich II
12% munich I

S-189/w3470 blend

Basically took my helles bock and brought the gravity down...

The current festbiers are between an export and Heller Bock. There are some differences between breweries.

On another forum a guy said the Weihenstefaner's is all Pils malt with a decoction.

Yeah with a estimated srm of 5.4 mine is going to get me where I want to be for what I would like. I wasn’t try to clone it my any means but I really like Sierra Nevadas example this year.

I don’t know if mine will be good at all but it seems there is still a lot of confusion between festbier and marzen for Americans.

[tommymorris]

I have one currently in the fermenter:
74% pilsner
14% munich II
12% munich I

S-189/w3470 blend

Basically took my helles bock and brought the gravity down...

The current festbiers are between an export and Heller Bock. There are some differences between breweries.

On another forum a guy said the Weihenstefaner's is all Pils malt with a decoction.

Yeah with a estimated srm of 5.4 mine is going to get me where I want to be for what I would like. I wasn’t try to clone it my any means but I really like Sierra Nevadas example this year.

I don’t know if mine will be good at all but it seems there is still a lot of confusion between festbier and marzen for Americans.

This year’s Sierra Nevada Festbier is great.

[fredthecat]

I have made many Festbier recipes over the years and I keep simplifying it.  Some very good German brewers mentioned that it could be as simple as 50/50 pilsner/Munich 2 and one hop addition at the start of the boil for about 25 IBUs.  I did a few that way and eventually went with 65/35 Pils/Munich 2 and then either Spalt or Hallertau and my yeast of choice is Omega Bayern.  The result is a beer that is simple and more pale than you might think.  I have a batch of this that has been lagering now for about 8 weeks and it will be brought out shortly.  Here's a shot of the one from 2019.

yup, just in general i've simplified my grists so much from years past. i feel embarassed now looking at kitchen sink recipes i did with 4oz this, 4oz that and 10 different malts.

[Bel Air Brewing]

I have made many Festbier recipes over the years and I keep simplifying it.  Some very good German brewers mentioned that it could be as simple as 50/50 pilsner/Munich 2 and one hop addition at the start of the boil for about 25 IBUs.  I did a few that way and eventually went with 65/35 Pils/Munich 2 and then either Spalt or Hallertau and my yeast of choice is Omega Bayern.  The result is a beer that is simple and more pale than you might think.  I have a batch of this that has been lagering now for about 8 weeks and it will be brought out shortly.  Here's a shot of the one from 2019.

yup, just in general i've simplified my grists so much from years past. i feel embarassed now looking at kitchen sink recipes i did with 4oz this, 4oz that and 10 different malts.

We have brewed several beers, all very good, that had a single malt in the grain bill. Sometimes less really is more.

[Village Taphouse]

Festbier 2020.  65/35 Pils/Munich 2.  25 IBUs of Hallertau from the start of the boil.  Omega Bayern on the yeast.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Festbier 2020.  65/35 Pils/Munich 2.  25 IBUs of Hallertau from the start of the boil.  Omega Bayern on the yeast.

Looks very good! We should be kegging our second 30 gallons in about 10 to 12 days.

Might try more base malt next time, like you did with 65% Pils.

Nice mug, where did you get it?

[Village Taphouse]

Looks very good! We should be kegging our second 30 gallons in about 10 to 12 days.

Might try more base malt next time, like you did with 65% Pils.

Nice mug, where did you get it?

That's a Hofbrau stein like this...



I may have gotten it on Amazon but I may have also gotten it at our local Hofbrauhaus... can't remember. 

[fredthecat]

Festbier 2020.  65/35 Pils/Munich 2.  25 IBUs of Hallertau from the start of the boil.  Omega Bayern on the yeast.

Looks very good! We should be kegging our second 30 gallons in about 10 to 12 days.

Might try more base malt next time, like you did with 65% Pils.

Nice mug, where did you get it?

how do you get rid of 30 gallons? very slowly or many people?

[Bel Air Brewing]

Festbier 2020.  65/35 Pils/Munich 2.  25 IBUs of Hallertau from the start of the boil.  Omega Bayern on the yeast.

Looks very good! We should be kegging our second 30 gallons in about 10 to 12 days.

Might try more base malt next time, like you did with 65% Pils.

Nice mug, where did you get it?

how do you get rid of 30 gallons? very slowly or many people?

That is shared among the 3 main brewers. Yes, we drink it fast!

[Bel Air Brewing]

I just tasted a one ounce sample of my 3 week old, still fermenting, Fest Bier.

Made with 14 lbs Pils, 4 lbs Vienna, 4 lbs Munich. This is far better than my previous efforts, with a 1/3 split for each of these.

Much cleaner, a little less malty, and the hops really shine! Might even enter this in the upcoming Blue Bonnet Festival.

Hat-Tip to The Village Taphouse for the heads up on this recipe variation.

[tommymorris]

I just tasted a one ounce sample of my 3 week old, still fermenting, Fest Bier.

Made with 14 lbs Pils, 4 lbs Vienna, 4 lbs Munich. This is far better than my previous efforts, with a 1/3 split for each of these.

Much cleaner, a little less malty, and the hops really shine! Might even enter this in the upcoming Blue Bonnet Festival.

Hat-Tip to The Village Taphouse for the heads up on this recipe variation.

So it’s 4/4/4 lbs or 14/4/4 lbs pils, vienna, munich?