Beer for October

[Redbird Fan]

I would like to brew a beer in the Oktoberfest spirit (I would like to start it this month to give it some aging time), however I am unable to brew a Lager (due to temperature requirements for true lager fermentation). Does anyone happen to know if it is possible to brew a good Oktoberfest "style" beer that is not a Lager???

[sallad]

i did some research on oktoberfest a while back.. and from what i read, in order to be considered an "oktoberfest" it should be brewed in the spring and lagered all summer for consumption in the fall. the thing i read said at least 6 months of aging.

i recently brewed a "summer-bock" that tastes OK.. i used lager yeast but the coolest i could keep it was about 70F during fermentation. its a good beer, more like an ale than a lager, but still good! kinda fruity, not as crisp as a true bock..

anyway, i'd go for something big and on the malty side, maybe a little roasty. you can still make good beer without being completely true to the style. just don't expect any medals in competition! ;)

[quantum24]

i would go ahead and give it a try. i had a conversation about this same thing with the people at my local homebrew shop and they convinced me to give it a try for a helles that i wanted to brew. if i were you id find a good 'fest recipe and just brew it with an ale yeast (i used wyeast 1056 american ale yeast), but ferment as cool as you can manage. the temp range for that specific yeast is very broad. i fermented my helles in the low to mid 60's by packing my fermenter with ice in a bucket filled with water, worked real well. my beer just came out of primary and the ester profile was very low. i think this method produces a lager like beer. btw, i know of several craft breweries/brewpubs that brew oktoberfests using their house ale yeast and they always turn out well.

[Tweek]

you could also try using white labs san francisco lager yeast, which is a lager yeast that ferments at higher temps. You will still get some esters but not as much as you would with an ale yeast.

[sallad]

thats what i did- i used wyeast's california lager, but it was still a bit fruity. but hey, its the summer and i don't have a spare fridge. yet! still tastes like beer!

[YamahaXS]

Do a Porter! get teh OG up to 0160, 0170 to give it an extra oompha (tuba), some roasted grains, not black patent, for flavor (trombone), and a goodly amount of hops for zing (accordian). Then Polka ALL NIGHT LONG!