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TyGuy716 · 10-05-2011, 05:00 PM

I brewed an Oktoberfest back in April or May and fermented about 2 or 3 weeks at 50 degrees F, then after a D-rest transferred to a secondary where it has been lagering at around 34 degrees F up until now. I plan on bottling this weekend. My concern is will there be enough (if any) active yeast left to properly carbonate in a bottle?

I've heard people say add 1/4 packet of yeast the same time as I add the priming sugar before bottling. And if so should I use the same lager yeast or should I use an ale yeast?

And finally, what temperature should the bottles be conditioned at?

Thanks!

**TopherM** · 10-05-2011, 05:13 PM

Yeast just go dormant at that 34 F temp, but they don't die. They are still very much there and very viable.

Put your fermentor in a closet for about 24 hours to let it warm up to room temp, or as close to 70 F as you can if you can control it. From there, just bottle like normal and carb/condition at room temp (again, as close to 70F as you can).

If you rack to a bottling bucket, that's enough agitation to rouse the yeast. If you bottle straight from the secondary, you want to give the bucket a few light swirls with your brew paddle/spoon before you start bottling to resuspend some yeast. Not enough swirl to introduce oxygen, but enough to get a small % of the yeast layer back into the solution.

Hope that helps!

PT Ray · 10-05-2011, 05:15 PM

Brewed 5 months ago, I wouldn't add fresh yeast. If you don't use a temperature in the mid 60's it will take forever. I attempted to bottle condition a lager starting at 50, it did nothing. It wasn't until I bump it into the 60's that I got some results.

TyGuy716 · 10-05-2011, 05:15 PM

Very much so. Thanks a bunch!

sanch · 10-05-2011, 05:19 PM

even if your beer is very clear there will still be plenty of yeast to carbonate your beer. Just boil the priming sugar in a cup of water and add it to your bottling bucket prior to racking in your beer from the secondary.

condition your bottles at the temp your yeast ferments at so 50 degrees for a lager and 65-70 for ales. I just stack mine up back in my fermentation chamber.

good luck on the Oktoberfest !

beeber · 10-05-2011, 05:20 PM

Check out this thread...http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/bottle-conditioning-lagers-65260/#post671189

This person recommends adding fresh yeast to be safe. At 6 months at cold conditions I would bet that there is enough viable yeast to carbonate.

I wouldn't switch from lager to ale yeast at bottling, stay with lager if you going to do that. And use corn sugar for priming. Then you can condition at room temp. 70 deg or so.

***Yooper*** · 10-05-2011, 05:59 PM

I'd probably use 1/3 package of dry ale yeast when bottling. Is it necessary? Probably not. But will the beer carb more quickly and dependably? Yes.

What I do is mix up the priming solution and then cool it in the bottling bucket. I stir in the yeast (nottingham is great for this), and then rack the beer into it so that it mixes well. Bottle as normal.

There is no need to warm up the beer before bottling, or do anything else. Just bottle as usual, using about 4 ounces of priming sugar per 5 gallons of beer. Condition at 70 degrees for at least three weeks.

TyGuy716 · 10-05-2011, 08:02 PM

Thanks everyone, much appreciated!

Malticulous · 10-05-2011, 08:16 PM

I've added a gram or two of dry ale yeast to many ales and lagers and have not found a single draw back. Even if you didn't need it (I think you do) it will do no harm.