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bernerbrau · 01-23-2012, 04:48 PM

Just took a sample... whereas the tartness was very subtle before secondary (wanted to harvest the yeast cake), this lager is now an acetaldehyde bomb. Like just absolutely undrinkable.

So... lager it longer, or what?

**Paul07293** · 01-23-2012, 05:59 PM

Sounds like you might have racked the beer to a secondary a bit early. The yeast should clean up any acetaldehyde produced during fermentation, but only after is finished with the sugars. I tend to leave lagers in the fermenter for 3-4 weeks before I rack into the keg for lagering. It could also be caused by oxidation. I'd give it some more cold conditioning time, that should help reduce the fruitiness.

bernerbrau · 01-23-2012, 06:56 PM

Yeah, I racked to secondary back in october before I got my refractometer. Didn't take a gravity reading, just assumed. (I have a hydro, but I'm really lazy about using it because of the amount of beer I have to steal to test gravity.)

Having the refractometer stopped me from kegging an ale that hadn't completed fermentation this weekend.

**osagedr** · 01-23-2012, 06:58 PM

I can't remember if it came up in this thread, but if you are using your refractometer to take gravity readings after fermentation has begun, be sure to use an adjustment calculator. Your refractometer reading will be incorrect. Also be sure to adjust for temperature unless your refractometer automatically does so.

bernerbrau · 01-23-2012, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osagedr

I can't remember if it came up in this thread, but if you are using your refractometer to take gravity readings after fermentation has begun, be sure to use an adjustment calculator. Your refractometer reading will be incorrect. Also be sure to adjust for temperature unless your refractometer automatically does so.

Yes, I am using an alcohol adjustment calculator, and the refractometer is ATC.

bernerbrau · 03-21-2012, 03:57 PM

So I haven't had an opportunity to lager it since January, when I brewed a spiced ale that took over a month to finish fermenting, but I pulled a sample last night anyway just to see, along with my other lager also waiting to cold condition.

The estery fruitiness has subsided but both lagers go like this: OK, it tastes like beer, this might be decen--BAM. Butterscotch. BAM. Sour Apple.

I can't seem to get a good solid answer as to whether cold conditioning will fix these flaws or not. Some say yes, others say no. Either way, I turned the temp controller down to 30 last night. According to my thermapen, it's actually 5 degrees higher in there, so we're talking 35.

I hate that these things are plugging up my pipeline and might not even be drinkable in the end. I haven't brewed since January.

BuddyWeiser · 03-21-2012, 04:38 PM

Just a beginner here trying to learn about lagers before I invest time and money on it. I have a quick question that maybe could help. If there it is acetaldehyde or something like that which causes the butterscotch/sour apple, then could you just add some more yeast to help clean that up?

I understand that might make more work than it's worth, but maybe some fresh yeast could help. Again, im a beginner and just shooting in the dark.

bernerbrau · 03-21-2012, 04:57 PM

I doubt that will have much effect. There's already yeast in suspension; adding more when the majority have dropped out post-fermentation isn't going to encourage the already-suspended yeast to "clean the beer" any faster; in fact the most likely outcome is the newly added yeast cells, with nothing to ferment, just drop out immediately.

Brew-ta-sauraus · 03-21-2012, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernerbrau

Yes, I am using an alcohol adjustment calculator, and the refractometer is ATC.

I read some where that more beer had a adjustment calculator for using a refractometer in excel format. Anyone have a link to this?

**maltoftheearth** · 03-22-2012, 02:50 AM

This winter I had a Maibock that went from OK to sensational right around three months. Coincidentally I read a week or two ago that others have had the same experience, the three month mark can be pretty critical with lagered beers.

Looks like you brewed in October so ... I don't know if you are going to be able to bring this one back. One thought is to warm it back up to fermenting temps and add some additional of the same yeast and give it an rest and then return to lagering for another month or so. As far as I am aware only the yeast can correct such a problem.