Fauxtoberfest beer

Your recipe looks fine. Another option for yeast is to use Wyeast 1007 (German Ale). My experience is that 1007 is a very neutral yeast strain (I ferment on the cooler side: low 60’s).

Cheers!

 

What part of Germany? That may change what beer style might seem most likely to impress them.

 

I'm assuming you're using SF-05 because you don't have the capacity to ferment at lager yeast temperatures?

 

I made a very successful beer in this style a few years ago, and went ale for exactly this reason. I'll see if I can dig up my recipe to offer any tweaks to your recipe.

 

My first thought was that the US-05 was out of place (and I am a US-05 booster). Brewing Classic Styles calls for WLP-820 (Octoberfest/Marzen, Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager), or Saflager S-23.

My next 10 gal batch may very well be a Marzen split between 2 different yeasts. If I use US-05 it will be a VERY cool ferment with lots of not so cold lagering time.

 

Hmm. I think if you can't lager, you might be better off brewing them a nice hefe. But if you're set on the marzen maybe use Cry Havoc or maybe a kolsch yeast.

 

I'd consider a Kolsch style hybrid yeast. If you have a tupperware bin and some frozen 2 liters you should be able to hold around 60F (ambient). It would do well, or there's an American lager yeast that does well warmer. I can't think of it off the top of my head (at work).

 

To follow-up it's Wyeast 2112 California Lager Yeast. I've never used it persoanlly, but I've heard that you don't need to worry about diacetyl at all.

 

My annual Mocktoberfest is, simply, lots of Munich, easy on the noble hops, and US-05. This yeast is as neutral as it gets, IMO. But, as has already been emphasized, keep it cool. This summer in the Upper Midwest, so far, is ideal for cool fermenting an Ale (in a normal summer, I would have the season's first Saison bubbling in the garage by now).