Resurgence Brewing Company: Oktoberfest clone

Resurgence Brewing Company: Oktoberfest clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.053   FG = 1.014
IBU = 25   SRM = 14   ABV = 5.4%

This upstate New York Oktoberfest is a traditional Marzen style beer. It features biscuit, caramel, and toffee notes.

Ingredients
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) Pilsner malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) light Munich malt (9 °L)
1.75 lbs. (0.8 kg) dark Munich malt (20 °L)
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Caramunich® I malt
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) biscuit malt
7 AAU Perle hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 7% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup (150 g) dextrose (if priming)

Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.5 gallons (13.3 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 3.8 gallons (14.4 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list and Irish moss if desired. After the boil, chill the wort 55 °F (13 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 55 °F (13 °C) until fermentation is complete (about 1.014 specific gravity); you may want to increase temperature by a few degrees at the latter stages of fermentation to aid in diacetyl cleanup. Once the beer completes fermentation, bottle or keg and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity. Store carbonated beer at near-freezing temperatures for at least four weeks before drinking.

Partial mash option:
Reduce the light Munich malt in the all-grain recipe to 2 lbs. (0.91 kg) and replace the dark Munich and Pilsner malts with 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract and 1.9 lbs. (0.86 kg) Munich liquid malt extract. Place crushed grains in one or more grain bags. Bring 6 qts. (5.7 L) of water to approximately 164 °F (73 °C) and mix grains into the water. Temperature should stabilize around 152 °F (67 °C). Hold for 60 minutes at this temperature. Remove the grain bags, place them in a colander and wash with 6 qts. (5.7 L) hot water then let drain fully. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Top off to 6 gallons (23 L) then bring the wort to a boil. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.