Left Hand Brewing Co.’s Oktoberfest clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.061 FG = 1.010
IBU = 25 SRM = 9 ABV = 6.6%

Ingredients
7.25 lbs. (3.3 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
5.7 lbs. (2.6 kg) Pilsner malt
4.5 AAU Apollo hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz./7.1 g at 18% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Mt. Hood hops (25 min.) (0.5 oz./14.2 g at 5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Mt. Hood hops (5 min.) (0.35 oz./9.9 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (25 min.)
Wyeast 2352 (Munich Lager II), White Labs WLP860 (Munich Helles Lager), or SafLager S-189 yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Mill the grains, then mix with 5 gallons (19 L) of approximately 131 °F (55 °C) water to achieve a 122 °F (50 °C) mash temperature. Let the mash rest for 10 minutes. During the mash rest, check the pH. The target is 5.4 pH; add lactic acid to achieve the target. Once the pH is within range, raise the temperature of the mash to 147 °F (64 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Next, raise the temperature of the mash to 154 °F (68 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Transfer 40% of the mash to a separate vessel and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes. The aroma will be marvelous. Transfer boiled mash back to lauter tun.

Vorlauf for 15 minutes or until wort is clear. Run off the wort to the kettle, then begin to sparge once you have 1–2 gallons (3.8–7.6 L) wort in the kettle. Due to the decoction, keep the mash bed fairly wet to avoid a stuck bed. Sparge four gallons (15.1 L) of water at 172 °F (78 °C). Lauter until you have 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort.

Heat wort to a rolling boil, start a 60-minute boil timer and add first hop addition of Apollo hops. Add the second hop addition and Whirlfloc with 25 minutes left in the boil. Add the final hop addition of Mt. Hood with 5 minutes left. Once the boil is complete, whirlpool the wort and let rest for 15 minutes.

Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C). Add a healthy yeast pitch to the fermenter and aerate with pure oxygen (unless using dry yeast strain). Ferment at 52 °F (11 °C) until the beer is below 1.030, then increase temperature slightly to 57 °F (14 °C) for a diacetyl rest. Leave at that temperature until beer has been terminal and stable for three days. Drop temperature to 32 °F (0 °C), dump the yeast after 10 days and lager for at least 30 more days. Bottle or keg and carbonate to 2.6 v/v.

Left Hand Brewing Co.’s Oktoberfest clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.061 FG = 1.010
IBU = 25 SRM = 9 ABV = 6.6%

Ingredients
3.8 lbs. (1.7 kg) Munich dried malt extract
3 lbs. (1.36 kg) Pilsen light dried malt extract
4.5 AAU Apollo hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz./7.1 g at 18% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Mt. Hood hops (25 min.) (0.5 oz./14.2 g at 5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Mt. Hood hops (5 min.) (0.35 oz./9.9 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (25 min.)
Wyeast 2352 (Munich Lager II), White Labs WLP860 (Munich Helles Lager), or SafLager S-189 yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Heat 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water in your kettle. Bring to, or at least near, a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the malt extract slowly to avoid clumping. Once all extract is in and dissolved, return to boil (for 60 minutes) and add the first hop addition.

Add the second hop addition and Whirlfloc with 25 minutes left in the boil. Add the final hop addition of Mt. Hood with 5 minutes left. Once the boil is complete, whirlpool the wort and let rest for 15 minutes.

Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C). Top your fermenter with pre-boiled and chilled water also at 50 °F (10 °C) to yield a total of 5 gallons (19 L).

Add a healthy yeast pitch to the fermenter and aerate with pure oxygen (unless using dry yeast strain). Ferment at 52 °F (11 °C) until the beer is below 1.030, then increase temperature slightly to 57 °F (14 °C) for a diacetyl rest. Leave at that temperature until beer has been terminal and stable for three days. Drop temperature to 32 °F (0 °C), dump the yeast after 10 days and lager for at least 30 more days. Bottle or keg and carbonate to 2.6 v/v.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
The all-grain version will provide a more “true-to-the-original” representation of the beer because, according to Head Brewer Adam Lawrence, “The decoction is everything in this beer.” But those who are not yet ready to take on all-grain or decoctions will find the extract recipe results in a suitable and tasty beer.

The key to produce a clean lager is to have an ample and healthy yeast pitch and to oxygenate thoroughly if using a liquid yeast strain. It’s better to pitch a little extra yeast than not enough, so it’s strongly recommended to do a large starter and decant after yeast settles or pitch more than one sachet of dry yeast, especially since this is a fairly strong Märzen at 6.6% ABV.