2024 Oktoberfest Recipe Planning Guide By Riverbend Malt House

As summer fully blooms, we know brewers are already thinking into the next season– more specifically, Oktoberfest. It’s time to get those German-style lager recipes going!

Our sales team is here to help you craft the perfect recipe, so please feel free to reach out. We can share stats on individual batches to help ensure you hit your target color, flavor profile, and ABV!

You can also design a malt blend to create signature flavor profiles. Please reach out to your Riverbend representative or email sales@riverbendmalt.com for more information about our custom malt program. 

Without further ado, here is our Oktoberfest planning guide to our standard malt offerings to help plan all of your 2024 recipes. Scroll down for sample grain bills!

 

Czech-Style Pilsner (<2 SRM)

This product was inspired by the malts hailing from the Hana valley in the eastern portion of the Czech Republic that remain truly under-modified and low in color. In order to reign in these traits, we reduced our steep out moisture and reduced germination temperatures, and coupled this approach with a cool, gentle kiln recipe to ensure minimal color development. The result is a malt with a distinct flavor and color of 2 SRM or less. The lack of modification opens the door for brewers to utilize step mashing or multiple decoctions to increase efficiency and build flavor. Don’t have that capability in your brewhouse? Not to worry– we aimed for a level modification that doesn’t require these steps.

 

Chesapeake Pilsner (2 SRM)

One of our best selling flagships, this malt has been featured in a wide array of lagers around the Southeast. Produced using 100% VA-grown barley, this malt contributes notes of fresh-baked crackers, melon, and honeysuckle. 

 

Cumberland Pilsner (2 SRM)

This Pilsner is produced using 100% Calypso barley. Calypso imparts a breadier, doughier profile when compared to the Chesapeake Pilsner Malt. Perfect for lightly hopped lagers.

 

Vienna Malt (4-6 SRM)

We kiln this style similarly to our Light Munich malt, with a cooler curing temperature to minimize color development. Vienna Malt helps to create full body and smooth mouthfeel, with honey-like sweetness and light toast in the finish.

 

Light Munich (8-12 SRM)

Producing a high-quality Munich-style malt requires a completely different approach to the process. Higher kilning temperatures and extended times combine to create the rich, bready flavor profile that these malts are known for. We use a proprietary blend of 2-row barley varieties as the base for this product. Try it as a base malt for your next Doppelbock recipe or in smaller percentages in a Helles!

 

Dark Munich (25-35 SRM)

A continuation of the Munich-style, this product is crafted using an intense 30+ hour kiln cycle that utilizes high temperatures and different air flow management techniques. The result is an aromatic malt that delivers notes of baker’s chocolate, toast, and dark fruit. 

 

Double Kilned Munich (50 SRM)

As its name suggests, Double Kilned Munich makes two trips through the kiln, a process that helps develop the complex flavors and increases color to approximately 50 SRM. This malt will contribute a beautiful, ruby red hue and notes of dark fruit and toffee with a touch of fresh roasted coffee flavor. Use in low percentages in your Oktoberfest recipe to impart that satisfying dry, toasty finish.

 

Sample Grain Bills

Festbier 

Cumberland Pilsner – 70%

Vienna Malt – 22%

Dark Munich – 8%

 

Oktoberfest 

Chesapeake Pilsner – 36%

Light Munich – 23%

Dark Munich – 23%

Vienna Malt – 18%