Sometimes you need beer in a hurry. Let’s say you scheduled your Oktoberfest party for the end of September, but you forgot to make a batch of genuine Festbier over the summer. Let’s also assume that life’s obligations—be they related to work, family, or something else completely—have conspired to prevent you from brewing up a Mocktoberfest ale. No need to worry, you can still turn out a great homebrew in ten days or fewer if you follow a few basic principles.
Keep it sessionable.
The higher the original gravity, the more maturation time your beer needs. Stick to original gravities below 1.050 (below 1.045 is even better) to ensure complete fermentation.
Keep it cloudy, dark, or English.
This is not the time to attempt a crystal clear German lager. Choose styles that are inherently cloudy (Hefeweizen, wit, session-strength saisons) or that have enough dark malts to mask the haze (milds, dry Irish stouts). Another good option is to use a highly flocculent English yeast to brew ordinary bitters, as these strains tend to drop bright quickly.