Oktoberfest
                   Extract/Partial Mash Lager

                    James Perkins 12/03/2001
                Feedback? Write james@loowit.net

I wanted to really get into making lagers this winter, so once the
rainy days set in with the garage hovering around 50F, I started
with this Oktoberfest.

     7 lb. Amber Malt Extract

    24 oz. Munich Malt
    16 oz. Belgian CaraMunich Malt
     8 oz. Belgian Aromatic Malt

     3 gal. distilled water for boiling grains

     3 gal. distilled water to sparge/top up.

    1.5 oz. Hallertauer hops for 60 min.
    0.5 oz. Hallertauer hops for 25 min.

    Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager pitchable yeast

    O.G. 1.068
    Primary Fermentation temp: 50-55F
    Racked to secondary at 4 weeks
    Bottled at 23 weeks
    F.G. 1.017

Ready boiling kettle with 2 gal. water at room temperature. Place the
crushed malts in a nylon boiling bag and place in the water.

Protein Rest: Heat water and grains to 122F (careful! not more!).
Hold between 122F and 115F for 30 minutes.  I was able to turn off
the flame and goose it at ten minute intervals, stirring periodically
and turning the grain bag over to keep the temperature averaged out.
Periodically lift the bag free of the water to drain, like dunking a
huge teabag.

Starch Conversion: Heat water and grains to 150F. Hold at 150F for 10
min. Heat to 158F. Hold at 158F for 15 min. Turn the grain bag over and
stir occasionally to keep the temperature averaged out.

Continue heating: Raise temperature to 180F and remove the grains,
squeezing the  grain bag into the water (I use two large stainless steel
mixing bowls and trap the grain bag between them like so -- )o) -- where
")" is a bowl and "o" is the grain bag.  Continue heating wort until boil
(takes forever, doesn't it?).  Bring to full rolling bowl.

Add Extract: Add all the malt extract syrup, stirring to keep it from
sticking and burning on the bottom.  Return to full boil, watching
carefully for it possibly foaming up (mine didn't) (takes forever,
again).

The Boil: Stir in 1.5 oz. of the hops and set the timer for 60 min.
After 35 min., add the rest of your hops.  Once everything is settled
down, partially cover and keep it boiling vigorously.

When the buzzer goes off, pour 1/2 gal. cold water in the bottom of
the primary fermenter, then hold a (sanitized) LARGE kitchen strainer
over the fermenter and scoop pintfuls of hops and wort into the strainer.
After half the wort is strained, carefully pour the rest slowly over the
hops and strainer.

Leftover hops and grains go in the garden compost.

Top up the primary fermenter to 5 gal. liquid. Cover securely and let it
sit overnight.  Measure the temperature When it gets down around 75F,
stir vigorously to aerate. Using a hydrometer, measure the specific
gravity (I have 1.059, great for an Oktoberfest).  Pitch the lager yeast
in over the surface of the wort and keep covered.  Place in a 75F room,
install an airlock (bubbler), and wait for fermentation to get really
going (mine took 48 hours).

Once it gets going, place in a cold place (34-55F, the cooler the
better, my garage is 50-55F) and let it ferment. Take specific gravity
readings weekly. It should come down to around 1.020 and stop falling
(I got 1.017).

Once it stops, you could place the beer in a warmer environment 55-63F
to allow the yeast to metabolize the diacetyls (butterscotch flavors).
I didn't do this, and left it in my garage (still 55F). If S.G.  stays
stable, after 2-3 days rack to secondary (I did this after 4 weeks) and
leave in 34-55F environment as long as possible, ideally 2-3 months.

Just before bottling, bring wort to 70F, pitch a second batch of yeast,
let it distribute for 12-24 hours, prime and bottle. Bottled on 11 May
2002. Yeast very active at bottling!