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ekjohns · 05-04-2012, 02:59 AM

Simple question for you seasoned lager brewers. I brewed a simple wheat lager (50/50 white wheat/2 row) mash temp 154F with an OG 1.050. I pitched a big starter from a yeast cake on 4/28 and my fermentation 5 days later (5/3) is slowing down and the krausen dropped (I will check gravity when i get a new hydrometer tomorrow). My ferm temp was 52-54 with WLP830. I want to do a D-rest then transfer to keg for lagering. However, I do not want to take it off the yeast cake to early to give the yeast time to clean up and work there magic, but at the same time I don't want to miss my window for a D-rest. any recommendations?

**944play** · 05-04-2012, 03:36 AM

I'd warm it up now, even though you might be too late. I don't bother taking gravities when it's obvious that things are winding down.

ekjohns · 05-04-2012, 11:21 AM

i dont think I am too late since there is a little activity just starting to really slow down. But you dont think warming it up after only 5 days is too soon? Should I d-rest for 48 then lager it or cool it back down to 50F for another week

***Yooper*** · 05-04-2012, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekjohns

i dont think I am too late since there is a little activity just starting to really slow down. But you dont think warming it up after only 5 days is too soon? Should I d-rest for 48 then lager it or cool it back down to 50F for another week

The fermentation should finish up by the end of the diacetyl rest. Then it can be racked and lagering begun. I do the diacetyl rest when the beer is at 1.020 or so, and then rack it once it's completely done.

ekjohns · 05-04-2012, 11:53 AM

sounds good. I will move it to 60F now. Do you transfer to a keg right after the d-rest and lager? I was always under the assumption that you should let it sit on the yeast cake a few weeks to really clean up. I want to use gelatin to drop out all the yeast as possible since I will be adding fresh lemonade and would like to limit the yeast and stop that from fermenting out. Don't know if that would limit the yeast to much to not clean up the beer. Thanks for all the help so far

**pjj2ba** · 05-04-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekjohns

..........However, I do not want to take it off the yeast cake to early to give the yeast time to clean up and work there magic, but at the same time I don't want to miss my window for a D-rest. any recommendations?

This is a common misconception. It is not the yeast cake that does the clean up, it is the yeast that is still in suspension. If the beer is still even just slightly cloudy then there are still billions of yeast around to do the clean up. The yeast that have settled out are old and tired and aren't very biologically active. It is the yeast still "swimming" around that are cleaning up any mess that is left over from the big party.

It is just like a house party the next day! The people who really tied one on are not doing anything (many probably couldn't if they wanted to). It is left to the more responsible ones to clean up the mess from the night before.

Of course, like with brewing, if you take care and set things up properly, there is much less cleaning up that needs to be done.

ekjohns · 05-04-2012, 02:14 PM

so I should hold off on the gelatin then? I plan to add the lemonade the day before it is consumed so even if there is yeast floating around the beer will be on ice from the moment the lemonade is added.