Greetings. Could anyone suggest an extract with grains recipe to use to make the 2015 Sierra Nevada Octoberfest lager? The brewery website lists the following:
Alcohol Content: 6.0%
Bitterness Units: 30
Lager yeast
Bittering Hops: German Magnum
Finishing Hops: German Select, Tettnanger, Spalter
Malts: Two-row Pale, Steffi, Pilsner, Munich
Many thanks to anyone who responds to this posting.
Here’s my attempt at an awesome partial mash version. If partial mash scares anyone, then I must ask why? No worries! All the steps are provided below, and it’s really super easy, only adds maybe an extra 45 minutes to your brew day, if that.
Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Clone (Partial Mash)
5 gallons
OG=1.058
ABV=6.0%
IBU=30
SRM=5.5
2 lb German Pilsner malt
2 lb German Munich malt
7 oz Melanoidin malt
3 lb Light DME
0.75 lb Cane Sugar
0.25 oz Magnum (14% alpha, 60 minutes)
0.75 oz Tettnanger (4.5% alpha, 15 minutes)
0.5 oz Spalt (4.7% alpha, 15 minutes)
0.5 oz German Select (or just use more Spalt, 4.7% alpha, 15 minutes)
Wyeast 2206 (big 3-quart starter)
Before you begin: Make 3 quarts (liters) of yeast starter in advance with the 2206 yeast. Alternatively, you could try two packs of W-34/70 dry yeast and skip the starter. However I do believe the Wyeast 2206 is superior.
You’ll also need 2 gallons distilled or RO water for the mash, and consider using 2 gallons each of distilled (or RO) and spring water 50/50 for the remainder of the brewing volume. Distilled in the mini-mash will help keep the mash pH in check, and the remainder should just be reasonably soft water with no chlorine.
Brew day: Partial mash just the crushed grains in a bag in your kettle or a plastic bucket or cooler (anything is fine) in 2 gallons distilled/RO water that has been preheated to 163 F. Stir grains well in the bag to break any dough balls, then measure temperature in more than one place. Average temperature should fall to the low to mid 150s F. If it’s a little higher or lower, don’t worry, it will still turn out fine. Leave the mash alone for 20 minutes. Then remove the bag, squeeze gently, and discard grains. Transfer the partial mash liquid to your kettle (if it’s not there already), and bring to a boil. (Save the extract and sugar additions for the last 10-15 minutes of the boil.). When the boil begins, wait a couple minutes for the foam to fall back in, then add the Magnum hops and set timer for 45 minutes. When timer goes off, remove from heat, add the extract and sugar and remaining hops, and bring back to a boil for 15 more minutes. Cool to 50 F or as cold as you can get it, transfer to your sanitized fermenter, then aerate well and pitch yeast. Ferment as close to 50 F as possible for a week, then raise up to room temperature for diacetyl rest and cleanup. Keep there until all signs of fermentation are gone for at least 3 days. Don’t rack it. Then lager for several weeks prior to bottling, or keg as-is. Prime with 9 Tbsp table sugar if bottling. Should improve with 5-6 months age, or enjoy right away.
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