Dactyl Rest Too Soon?

I'm doing only my second lager, Munich Madness Oktoberfest from BCS, and I'm starting to get 'nervous' that I may have started my diacetyl rest too early. I missed my target mash temp (150 vs 151) with an OG of 1.063 vs a target of 1.055. Target FG by recipe is 1.015. I pitched a gallon starter of WLP830 that was stepped twice and got a strong fermentation going quickly. 7 days later I was at 1.026 which was in the range of my planned diacetyl rest and brought it up from 49 to 59F. Im right at 48 hours and still have fermentation going strong at this point.

Did I do my rest too early and what should I do next given the conditions?

(Sorry - cant correct title spelling which Apple saw fit to "correct" inadvertently.)

makomachine said:

I'm doing only my second lager, Munich Madness Oktoberfest from BCS, and I'm starting to get 'nervous' that I may have started my diacetyl rest too early. I missed my target mash temp (150 vs 151) with an OG of 1.063 vs a target of 1.055. Target FG by recipe is 1.015. I pitched a gallon starter of WLP830 that was stepped twice and got a strong fermentation going quickly. 7 days later I was at 1.026 which was in the range of my planned diacetyl rest and brought it up from 49 to 59F. Im right at 48 hours and still have fermentation going strong at this point.

Did I do my rest too early and what should I do next given the conditions?

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I probably would have done the diactyl rest at 1.020 or so, but it'll be fine at 1.026.

Yooper said:

I probably would have done the diactyl rest at 1.020 or so, but it'll be fine at 1.026.

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Thanks Yooper. Should I keep it at this temp until it quits fermenting or slowly drop it back down to 49 until completed?

makomachine said:

Thanks Yooper. Should I keep it at this temp until it quits fermenting or slowly drop it back down to 49 until completed?

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In doing some further research I've seen where people do both and their is some debate on it. At this point planning on leaving at 59F until fermentation is complete, then drop the temp slowly and then secondary.

Don't drop it yet - the yeast may stall. In reality, yeast aren't that temp sensitive after the growth phase - even lager yeast. Leave it at 59 until terminal FG and then do your lager / secondary, etc.

jkarp said:

Don't drop it yet - the yeast may stall. In reality, yeast aren't that temp sensitive after the growth phase - even lager yeast. Leave it at 59 until terminal FG and then do your lager / secondary, etc.

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Thanks for the feedback and that's what I'll do. I just didn't want a bunch of fruitiness to develop as what I tasted off of the hydrometer sample had promise. New to lagers and just wasn't sure if the higher temp would ruin it if held longer than 48hrs.

Well it's at 1.014 and tastes fine off of the sample I took given it's pre-lagering. Dropping the temp slowly and will pull over to secondary in a couple of days!