Toying with a Festabrew

Need help with a recipe? Have leftover ingredients and don't know what to do with them? Post in here! Any of your "tried & true" recipes can go in the recipe database forum.
Post Reply
jason.loxton
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 972
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 2:44 pm
Name: Jason Loxton
Location: sydney ns

Toying with a Festabrew

Post by jason.loxton » Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:03 pm

Buddy of mine has a Festabrew Blonde Lager. I am going to brew it up for him for Chritmas day drinking (he tried another Festa on his own, but it was infected, so I want to make something palatable this time around). It's the Blonde Lager kit. They don't provide enough lager yeast to start with, and the yeast has been sitting in a hot room to boot, plus I don't feel like messing around with a lager (even if I had time). Instead, I am going to throw a pack of S-04 in there (my go to for quick, clear, drinkable beers).

I have never done the Blonde Lager, but it sounds pretty boring: "yellow coloured", OG 1.048, 11 IBUs. I assume that its a straight two-row malt wort. I want to tweak it a little to make it a bit more interesting. I don't have any grains right now or extract (taking a brewing hiatus), but I do have a bunch of random hops from my first year backyard garden (small amounts of a number of varieties). Was thinking of moding it as follows: boil a gallon of wort with some hops to knock up the IBUs to the low 20s, and a late hop for a bit of flavour, add a touch of sugar to give it a touch more omph (and to compensate for the lower attenuation with the S04), and dry hops it.

Either that or just dry hop it.

Anyone made the Festa Blonde and want to comment. If it is loaded with adjuncts already, then I won't mess with simple sugars.

the-mailman
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 238
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2011 3:21 pm
Name: Bruce Mailman
Location: Hammonds Plains

Re: Toying with a Festabrew

Post by the-mailman » Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:23 pm

I've done this kit as per instructions and it's very bland. Very commercial tasting, a lot like Alpine, if I had to compare it to something.
Currently on tap:
1) Festa Brown Ale
2) Festa Pale Ale
3) Best Case Northern Lights
4) Festa Continental Pilsner

In the bucket: Empty
In the carboy: Empty

Buy yourself a 24 and you'll be happy for a weekend. Teach yourself to homebrew and you'll be happy for a lifetime. :)

spears104
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 375
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:58 pm
Name: Jason Spears
Location: Port Hawkesbury, NS

Re: Toying with a Festabrew

Post by spears104 » Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:40 pm

Here is the Festabrew description of their Blonde Lager

Festa Brew Blonde Lager
A yellow coloured, crisp beer with a genuine lager yeast. This is a true all-malt lager brewed with no adjuncts. The yeast provided will ferment well at 9-15°C, but will provide good lager characteristics up to 24°C.
23 Litres of wort
OG: 1.0476 – 1.0484, FG: 1.0080 – 1.0088, Yeast: Saflager S-23, IBUs: 11

I have made this kit for other people before and it is what it is, just plain beer. If I recall there is a bit of grainy sweetness in the finished beer.

I might suggest using US-05 or BRY-97 to dry it out more to make let your hop additions shine through.
Primary -
Secondary -
Bottle Conditioning -
Bottled -
On tap:
On the horizon -

jason.loxton
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 972
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 2:44 pm
Name: Jason Loxton
Location: sydney ns

Re: Toying with a Festabrew

Post by jason.loxton » Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:51 pm

Dave was out of 05, and I am actually a big 04 fan (love that yeast for most American and British beers). Plus, I figured the lower attenuation would allow me to use some simple sugars to knock it up a bit.

I often like a little crystal malt in my pale ales. Maybe I'll try to boiling down a touch of the wort for some carmelization. Honestly, I am mostly just playing around, as I have been embargoed from brewing for the past two years (trying to finish my PhD), and I am in the mood to be excessive. Will post tasting notes!

Post Reply

Return to “Recipes”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests