{"id":238872,"date":"2025-05-12T22:36:33","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T22:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/recipes\/category-a-b\/beer\/bru-it-yourself-too-much-too-fass-kellerbier\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T22:36:33","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T22:36:33","slug":"bru-it-yourself-too-much-too-fass-kellerbier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=238872","title":{"rendered":"Br\u00fc It Yourself | Too Much, Too Fass Kellerbier"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Author: Jordan Folks<\/em><\/h4>\n\n

I\u2019ve hosted an annual Oktoberfest party for the past 12 years that features a stellar lineup of several German styles brewed by some of the best homebrewers I know, and we always aim to up our game compared to the previous year. For this year\u2019s event, I had the crazy idea to tap a traditional holzfass <\/em>(often simplified to fass<\/em>), which is a traditional German gravity-fed barrel keg. While historically made entirely of wood, modern versions typically have a stainless steel keg surrounded by a wood exterior, as it allows for better cleaning, sanitation, and reuse.<\/p>\n

In the Wiesn<\/a>, the ceremonial tapping of the fass serves as the official kickoff of the \u00a0festivities, and it truly is a sight to be seen! The tapper uses a giant wooden mallet to drive a brass faucet into the fass, often causing foam to spew everywhere as a result; the beer is then served via gravity, effectively requiring the entire fass to be consumed in one session lest it be ruined by prolonged exposure to oxygen. This isn\u2019t an issue given how popular Oktoberfest has become.<\/p>\n

At the time this idea struck me, I\u2019d already packaged my annual M\u00e4rzen and Festbier for the party, and while I could have transferred one of those to the fass, I thought it\u2019d be cool to go with something a little different. Arguably, Kellerbier is more of a vibe than a style with strict parameters, making it challenging to define with much specificity. Historically served directly from the the cellar (\u201ckeller\u201d), what Kellerbier of all stripes have in common is that they\u2019re young, unfiltered lagers that, relative to other German lagers, can have slightly lower carbonation levels while being noticeably more hazy. After doing some research, I decided Kellerbier would be perfect for my inaugural fass service and set out to have one ready to tap to kickoff my Oktoberfest 2024 festivities!<\/p>\n

| Making Too Much, Too Fass Kellerbier |<\/h2>\n

I designed this recipe<\/a>\u00a0to ride the line between pale and amber kellerbier, aiming for the SRM value that separates the two BJCP sub-categories. Dankehanks to\u00a0F.H. Steinbart<\/a>\u00a0for hooking me up with the malt for this batch!<\/p>\n

Too Much, Too Fass Kellerbier<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n
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Recipe Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Batch Size<\/th>\nBoil Time<\/th>\nIBU<\/th>\nSRM<\/th>\nEst. OG<\/th>\nEst. FG<\/th>\nABV<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
5.7 gal<\/td>\n60 min<\/td>\n25.8<\/td>\n7.2 SRM<\/td>\n1.049<\/td>\n1.013<\/td>\n4.73 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\nActuals<\/strong><\/td>\n1.049<\/td>\n1.013<\/td>\n4.73 %<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n
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Fermentables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Name<\/th>\nAmount<\/th>\n%<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Pilsner Malt<\/td>\n4.5 lbs<\/td>\n36<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Barke Munich Malt<\/td>\n4 lbs<\/td>\n32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Barke Vienna Malt<\/td>\n3.5 lbs<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Carahell<\/td>\n8 oz<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n
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Hops<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Name<\/th>\nAmount<\/th>\nTime<\/th>\nUse<\/th>\nForm<\/th>\nAlpha %<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Hallertauer Mittelfrueh<\/td>\n85 g<\/td>\n60 min<\/td>\nBoil<\/td>\nPellet<\/td>\n2.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saphir<\/td>\n85 g<\/td>\n5 min<\/td>\nBoil<\/td>\nPellet<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n
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Yeast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Name<\/th>\nLab<\/th>\nAttenuation<\/th>\nTemperature<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Global (L13)<\/td>\nImperial Yeast<\/td>\n77%<\/td>\n46\u00b0F – 55.9\u00b0F<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n
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Notes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Water Profile: Ca 54 | Mg 4 | Na 10 | SO4 28 | Cl 72<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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After collecting the full volume of filtered water and adjusting it to my desired mineral profile, I flipped the switch on my Clawhammer Supply 240v Electric System then weighed out and milled the grains.<\/p>\n

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Given this was an historical German style intended for an historical German celebration, I opted for a traditional step mash with rests at 144\u00b0F\/62\u00b0C, 157\u00b0F\/69\u00b0C, and 170\u00b0F\/77\u00b0C. During the mash, I prepared the kettle hop additions.<\/p>\n

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When the step mash was complete, I removed the spent grains and boiled the wort for 60 minutes. Next, I chilled the wort with my JaDeD Brewing SS Coil Hydra<\/a> before transferring it to a fermentation keg that was left to finish chilling in my chamber. A refractometer reading showed the wort was at my target OG.<\/p>\n

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1.049 OG<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the wort stabilized at my desired pitching temperature of 48\u00b0F\/9\u00b0C a couple hours later, I pitched 2 pouches of Imperial Yeast L13 Global<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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After a week of fermenting at 50\u00b0F\/10\u00b0C, I began slowly raising the temperature to 60\u00b0F\/16\u00b0C over the course of the following week. With signs of activity absent, I took a hydrometer measurement indicating the beer had reached FG.<\/p>\n

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1.013 FG<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At this point, I gradually reduced the temperature of the beer to 31\u00b0F\/0.5\u00b0C over a few days and let it condition under pressure while I frantically tried to source a fass. After countless dead-ends, I was referred to Sch\u00e4efer Container Systems<\/a>, who filled my order request immediately. Just a few days later, a brand new fass was left on my doorstep, and the following week, it was time to transfer the carbonated Kellerbier to this traditional serving vessel (with some modern twists).<\/p>\n

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I placed the filled fass in my kegerator and left it there for 24 hours before it was time to tap it!<\/p>\n

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