Azorean:Regarding your Octoberfest recipe.

Grains, malts, hops, yeast, water and other ingredients used to brew. Recipe reviews and suggestions.

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Bowhunter
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Azorean:Regarding your Octoberfest recipe.

Post by Bowhunter »

Paul:

On May 6,2004 I brewed your Octoberfest/Marzen recipe. May 8th first fermentation activity noted. May 11th racked to second fermenter and logered at 45F until Aug.25 and bottle conditioned four weeks and taste tested. It was
NASTY . It was like drinking a chemical I took a sample to my beer supplier for a taste test. He informed me that wild yeast had gotten into the brew. I gave it more time to bottle condition and just resently tried it again. It still tasted nasty. I'm going to try again in the near future.

Tom
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Post by DreamWeaver »

Did you ever figure out where the infection came from? It's obviously not a recipe problem.

I almost used a bottling bucket that I thought I had cleaned and sanitized but in a pinch, I had to switch buckets. In the mix up and not knowing if I had mixed the two buckets I decided even if I had already cleaned the one I was using, I was going to do it over to be sure. Then I thought ...naw... then thinking, "What if I'm wrong..." So I took the dagone thing back apart to be sure and YIKES! The spigot was all gobbed up with crud that would have surely caused some off flavor, (to say the least)

To date, I have not had to "Toss" a batch but I am stubborn, but I have drank a few that prolly shoulda been used for catfish batter or hair spray!. :lol:
Four More Beers!... Four More Beers!... Four More Beers! ...
Azorean Brewer
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Awe Man I feel bad ...

Post by Azorean Brewer »

Tom,

How frustrating is that ... I have been enjoying this brew for about three weeks now. I brewed yet another glorious batch and lagered it, then kegged the baby ... and it is as good as I remember. What did you use for yeast ? Did you make a starter? did you use liquid yeats ? I can't imagine how this could happen. Way back when, when I just started brewing and was "cheap" I used to use dry yeast, that was when I was brewing extract, and after I threw my 4'th batch down the drain I swore off of dry yeast forever, I only use good liquid yeast with starter (preferrably White Labs). Good luck on the next batch, I swear it will be worth it once you brew a good batch of this stuff, Man it's a great Oktoberfest ...

Regards,

Paul.
"I drink therefore I am"
Bowhunter
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Azorean

Post by Bowhunter »

Paul :

I will get back to you regarding my Octoberfest brew. I have to go out of town for a few days.

Tom
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Tom, another thought occurred to me ...

Post by Azorean Brewer »

Tom,

I was wondering by any chance did your air lock go dry ? and what did you have in it. When I am lagering for a long period (or at all for that matter) I use a cheap vodka for solution in the air lock. I once had my air lock evaporate (before I knew to check it regularly) and my batch went bad ...

Let me know OK?

Paul.
"I drink therefore I am"
Bowhunter
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Azorean Octoberfest Brew

Post by Bowhunter »

Hi Paul:

Regarding your question, my air lock did not go dry. I used water, but I like your suggestion of using cheap vodka . My wife drinks vodka and Seven Up. She hates beer and I know she will be happy to contribute to the cause. It's great to be King OK back to the subject. I used 6 lbs 2 Row malt, 4 lbs Munich Malt, 2 lbs Vienna Malt, 1/4 lb Crystal malt, 1/2 lb Carapils Malt and 1/2 lb Victory Malt.I used a single infusion and mashed in and held at 150F-154F with 5 gals of water for 90 minutes and then sparged. For hops I used Halletau, Golding and Czech Saaz. Icould not find Styrian Goldings or Spalt Spalter hops I pitched with Lager yeast # WLP820. My OG was 1050 and my Terminal was 1014 . Well there you have it. I feel my sanitation is not the problem. It just may be wild yeast. I'm going to try again and thanks for your interest and help

Tom
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