Lagering in the bottle

ohad · 03-28-2008, 01:10 PM

I made a Bock. after two weeks at 10C(50F) and two weeks at 4C(39F). I've bottled it, as the guy from my local HBS suggested.
I left it in the garage for a week, and it started carbonating.
I want to lager it in the fridge for 6 weeks.
will it finish carbonating at 4C (39F)?

avidhomebrewer · 03-28-2008, 11:14 PM

It will take a LONG time to finish carbonating at that temp. I'd let it sit at room temp for about 4 weeks, then cool. For whatever it's worth, for your next lager, especially a good German one like a Bock, ferment in primary for about 2 weeks or so, then rack and do a diacetyl rest, then crank it down to about 35 for as long as you can wait. You will be rewarded with an extremely smooth and satisfying brew. That is how I make all of my lagers and they have all turned out great.

**Yooper** · 03-28-2008, 11:17 PM

The only thing I add to those directions is that if a d-rest is needed, I do it before I rack. That way the yeast can finish up, and clean up all the diacetyl. If no d-rest is needed, I'd rack and then lager. After lagering, I bottle and let them carb at room temperature.

I've never lagered in the bottle, so I don't have any helpful advice on that, sorry!

Dave the Brewer · 03-29-2008, 03:19 PM

It would just be easier if you could lager in the secondary.

ohad · 03-29-2008, 09:02 PM

So how long should I leave it in room temp?
7 weeks after the bottling day I'm serving this Bock to a competition. How would you divide the room temp vs lagering time?
I can do to do half with one lagering schedule and the other half a different schedule, and then serve the best one.

**Yooper** · 03-29-2008, 09:06 PM

Well, since it's bottled, you'll have to have it carbed up, so you might as well keep it at room temperature until it's carbed up, and then lager it. I lager for 4-6 weeks, and then bottle it and keep it at room temperature to carb and store.

Richard · 04-01-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YooperBrew

Well, since it's bottled, you'll have to have it carbed up, so you might as well keep it at room temperature until it's carbed up, and then lager it. I lager for 4-6 weeks, and then bottle it and keep it at room temperature to carb and store.

I have a batch that I already lagered in the secondary. It has finished carbing in the bottle. What temp should I store the bottles at?

menschmaschine · 04-01-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

I have a batch that I already lagered in the secondary. It has finished carbing in the bottle. What temp should I store the bottles at?

Once the yeast is all done doing it's thing, room temp is fine. Room temp is even fine for carbing bottled lagers as long as you use dextrose. If you use spiese/gyle, krausen beer, or malt extract for carbing, you'd want to carb at primary fermentation temp.

Richard · 04-02-2008, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menschmaschine

Once the yeast is all done doing it's thing, room temp is fine. Room temp is even fine for carbing bottled lagers as long as you use dextrose. If you use spiese/gyle, krausen beer, or malt extract for carbing, you'd want to carb at primary fermentation temp.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that it would be good to keep them in the fridge for a couple of weeks before drinking them...can't remember why though.

menschmaschine · 04-02-2008, 02:11 PM

At warmer temps, the CO2 produced during carbonation will be less dissolved into the beer (i.e., sitting in the headspace of the bottle). So, a refrigerated beer will retain more carbonation in the glass. Plus, refrigerating beer for a time prior to drinking will allow the yeast to settle out better. A day or two in the fridge prior to drinking will accomplish this.