Don't get me wrong. I could continue to drink traditional German Oktoberfest forever and love it. I am just curious if anyone has used USA hops and other ingredients to make an equivalent. Would this be what some breweries offer as their autumn seasonal? Maybe calling it a Harvest Ale? Thanks.
Posted Jun 6, 2012, 5:01 PM UTC
Since these malt-heavy beers use hops only for bittering, using US hops should be fine - most of the flavor and aroma in these beers comes from the malt.
IMHO, Pilsner is Pilsner and 2-row is 2-row, the world round. For Munich and Vienna, there are US-grown/malted varieties. Is that enough to make it "USA ingredients"?
Finally, the yeast - WLP820 would ordinarily be a good choice, but if you want a US yeast, you could try 810 (San Francisco Lager), often used for the California Common. 862 (Cry Havoc) looks interesting, and it was developed in collaboration with Papazian, so that makes it as American as anything else on the list. I don't think that 840 (American Lager) will finish sweet enough, though.
Thanks. And thanks to TheRealFender, also. I always find the people of this subreddit to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I appreciate it.
Practical advice aside, welcome to American brewing. We can make whatever we want and call it "American Such-&-Such Beer", and it's still totally legit.
Why wouldn't you use german malts?
Nothing against German malts. I just like to experiment and see what can be done.
Same reason you shouldn't feel a need to use german malts for a weizen or a pils.
True, but Oktoberfest seems like such a traditional brew I feel like it should be done properly. But to each his own.
And a weizen is not? Or a german pils? These beers date back an awful long time and are steeped in tradition. I agree, to each their own. I disagree that it's not "done properly" if it doesn't use German malts - I am more concerned with it tasting properly and conforming closely to style guidelines than I am of overpaying for nearly identical ingredients.
It'll be beer
An interesting experiment I've wanted to try myself: emulating and Oktoberfest (German Lager) but with with some spices and flavor of an American Pumpkin Ale, a la Terrapin's Pumkinfest.
They list malts, hops and spices they use:
Malts: Munich, Vienna, Munich II, Catamunich II, Melanoiden
Hops: Vanguard, Hallertau Hershrucker
Spices: Cinnamon, Ginger, All Spice, Cloves
Other: PUMPKIN!
They actually add the pumpkin meat to the mash. Would definitely be interesting to try to replicate/experiment with a recipe similar to this.
If you really want to mess with things, and don't have the ability to lager your beer, try using ale yeast to make a Oktoberale type of beer!
You could use American Munich/Vienna and noble descendant hops like Mt. Hood and Liberty.
Briess's PDFs for their Vienna and Munich malts all say "Produced in the U.S.A. from AMBA/BMBRI recommended 2-Row Malting Barley varieties"
http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/Base.htm#Vienna
http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/Munich.htm
What matters is how does it conform to style, not if you're using German malts.