Award Winning Festbier All Grain Recipe

[@drp2007]

I have used Mean Brew recommendations for Festbier, Vienna Lager, and Marzen. All are exceptional, popular with all levels of beer drinkers, and will definitely use these recipes again. As I move onto new styles, Mean Brews recommended recipes are my first choice based on the results I have seen. Purchased supplies from Bacchus and Barleycorn, excellent and reliable service from them.

[@MeanBrews]

Thank you! Its the process and it works. I've really enjoyed almost every one I've made as well.

[@Austographer]

Thanks Matthew! Pumped my suggestion won!

[@MeanBrews]

Festbier is just awesome. Glad to share

[@dfitzger]

Got a 40 and bronze medal in the Oktoberfest in October 2024 competition using this recipe. Only major change was pressure fermenting it in a keg, then bottle conditioning it (got knocked for appearance, was very hazy even after 1 month fermenting and 1 month lagering in the bottle after 3 weeks of bottle conditioning at room temp). Also used OYL-107.

[@MeanBrews]

Congrats!

[@barrycranston5122]

Again, excellent.

[@MeanBrews]

Thank you sir! I always check your emails to see if you'd sent me your recipe. I didn't find this one. Have you brewed a festbier before?

[@barrycranston5122]

Once or twice, prefer Marzen, found my Festbier a bit sweet. Will try your recipe, like the good use of Vienna and Munich.

[@pedroreis9352]

Maybe something to try after my marzen is done! Good as always, thanks!

[@MeanBrews]

If you've never had it please try it!

[@pedroreis9352]

@@MeanBrews never! here in portugal we don't have craft beer at all or even "international" beers from other countries, very small still! only this last year it's growing. So one more reason to brew my own ;)

[@paulb9478]

Perfect timing was just ordering my grainbill as I'm brewing for a party and it calls for a great festbier recipe!

[@paulb9478]

I vote for munich dunkel for next recipe. My all time favourite style and we are getting ready for winter down under !

[@Jonash666]

Can I ask about your experiences with that yeast you used, the 2247/920? I can't find much information about it online.

[@johncspine2787]

I saw a Gordon Strong interview, he mashes in low at 128-130, rests, slowly raises through the next two rests, that’s what I’m going to try w my next couple Marzen/Oktoberfest beers I want to lager all summer..since it’s March, as I write this I’ll finally at least get the scheduling right! I’m subbing in a couple pounds of the heritage malt Chevallier (want to try it, supposedly quite rich and malty) into the Barke Pilsner I’m using, as well as Barke Munich and Barke Vienna..touch of Caramunich..

[@emericmartin1326]

Great video. Thanks. Just a question about mash steps. I thought all starch is converted in less than one hour (at least it's my experience when I use iodine). Do you think you still extract sugars in the last step ?

[@MeanBrews]

its not about conversion, its about fermentability. yes conversion is quick, but long mashes make wort more fermentable, leading to higher attenuation. its another reason why 830 works well here (and one of the reasons why I picked it) as it is the highest attenuator of the bunch.

[@johncspine2787]

Iodine only shows you when most of the sugars are converted, but not all. Experiments show several points more can be obtained after the iodine test is clear. So..might as well use longer mash times, or traditional mash times.. Another way to say it is..the iodine test will only show you when it’s definitely not finished converting..

[@bigjplay]

I’m brewing this recipe today so it’s ready to go by mid September!

[@MeanBrews]

Awesome! Let me know how it turns out!

[@bigjplay]

I'd like to do a step mash schedule with a single decoction between the Protein and Beta rest. For the Festbier style, is a 15 minute decoction best, or would a shorter time be better? Absolutely love your channel!

[@MeanBrews]

the average protein rest was 15 minutes. I'd stick with that

[@MNgreg24]

What mash temp would you recommend for a single infusion?

[@MeanBrews]

154F

[@DMCSerenity]

Clarify for me on your beerfather recipe says 3.56 sparge water and 7.8 gal htl with a total of 12.1 gal. Once I put the 4.3 gal in for the mash I’m left with the remaining 7.8 gal. So what’s up with the 3.56 gal? I’m a little confused or I’m holding my head wrong. Planning on brewing this next weekend.

[@MeanBrews]

Just scale for your system losses. Everyone's setup is different.

[@lauriecharlton4437]

Looks awesome I am going to make this. Was just wondering if the Munich and Vienna will suffer from the step mash that the Floor Malted requires?

[@MeanBrews]

they should do fine in a decoction. I know people who decoct 100% munich malt dunkels with great success.

[@lauriecharlton4437]

@@MeanBrews just what I wanted to hear! Thanks for getting back to me

[@lauriecharlton4437]

@@MeanBrews I also just wanted to ask if any dextrine malt / carapils would be worth it in this for head retention? Or should the step mash take care of it? Thanks!

[@MeanBrews]

@@lauriecharlton4437 it wouldn't hurt but floormated has plenty of protein for head retention so its usually not needed.

[@lauriecharlton4437]

@@MeanBrews thanks very much!!

[@paulb9478]

Do u pitch the whole 4L starter or just the slurry that settles to the bottom?

[@MeanBrews]

I usually crash, decant, and pitch the slurry

[@DMCSerenity]

Your kit says fir 5 gallons but your grainfather recipe says 5.5. I’m interested in grain and hood for 5.5 to account for lose. Is the kit for 5 or 5.5 gal?

[@DMCSerenity]

Brewfather said m Sorry.

[@MeanBrews]

The kit is based upon 5.5 gallons into the fermenter at 70% efficiency

[@drunierer4821]

Did you use Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner versus the Weyermann Pilsner? So many different options these days

[@MeanBrews]

I personally use Ireks pilsner. Available at Texas brewing inc.

[@carlkesselman8386]

@@MeanBrews So would you recommend using the Ireks pilsner malt over the weyermann floor-malted bohemian pilsner malt?

[@MeanBrews]

@@carlkesselman8386 either will work. If decocting I recommend the floor malted.

[@paulb9478]

What was your FG for your recipe?

[@MeanBrews]

Well our recipe started at 1.066 and ended at 1.010. if you make the Meanbrews recipe, expect an fg of around 1.006

[@TeoOktoberfest]

Cheers 🍻 🍻 🍻 Munich Germany 🇩🇪

[@linthizzy6620]

I love your concept and enjoy watching your videos. Keep up the good work. Any chance you could add metric equivalents on your tables? Hop amounts in g/L and mash temps in Celsius would be nice to see. Also, please check out Suregork's analysis of yeast strains. He's found that W2308 and WLP838 are very different strains. Looking forward to your next video!

[@MeanBrews]

I do try to give metric equivalents. Also I use Mr Malty for yeast comparisons.

[@jaskats1]

Love it! Why would a protein rest with regular pilsner malt be detrimental to your beer? Thank you. Oh, reviewing the Kölsch would be awesome :) Thanks again

[@MeanBrews]

a protein rest with well modified malt can destroy head retention.

[@jaskats1]

@@MeanBrews Thank you

[@nchomebrewer2684]

The only thing that still confuses me on these are the FG values and where you'd like to end up...for example, this in my Brewfather software puts me at 1.006..instead of within the style range (1.010 on the low end)...the problem is, Brewfather is almost always spot on for me. Is this too low??

[@Austographer]

Don't stress about FG and what the bjcp say it should be. Someone judging your beer in competition won't know this information. Just brew the beer and see what happens. If it's a low FG, and not to your liking, then rest longer at the higher temps when mashing next time around. Bottom line, bjcp is a guide, not fact. Brew the beer and take it from there!

[@MeanBrews]

@@Austographer also decoction will make the wort more fermentable, with a lower FG

[@TheBMurph43]

Yaay

[@nickcentrone1679]

Thats not homebrew lol

[@BrutusLongfellow]

WTF do you think this is ya moron lol