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thrall · 06-29-2011, 09:09 AM

Hey,

At the weekend i bought the Youngs U-Brew Lager Kit. I know its nothing fancy but its a nice cheap starting point. I have 44 pint bottles saved up from some nice vintage cider ready to be filled.

On Monday I started the kit and followed the instructions, everything is going great, fermenting really fast as I used brewing sugar instead of general white sugar (that seemed to be something people recommend).

The problem is that so far it smells nothing like lager or beer, is this normal at this early stage? it smells nearly identical to when i made some turbo cider.

Any help would be great.

**beerandloathinginaustin** · 06-29-2011, 09:15 AM

I'm sure it's fine. If it has been getting its ferment on then you're all good. I'm more curious about you doing a lager at room temp (I'm assuming). I've done one that I fermented at room temp and it was ok but I wouldn't make it again.

**h22lude** · 06-29-2011, 10:53 AM

Are you keeping this at the correct temp for lager? Keeping it at room temp isn't the best but it will still come out as beer.

Typically lager will smell like sulfur for a little while so there is nothing to worry about

thrall · 06-29-2011, 12:43 PM

The kit suggests 18-22c and its in my cupboard at 20c and im keeping a damp towel wraped around it to keep it a little cooler.

**unionrdr** · 06-29-2011, 01:04 PM

The cooper's OS lager I did uses an ale yeast at those temps. Is yours something like that? It's got a ways to go yet,so don't sweat it...

thrall · 06-29-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unionrdr

The cooper's OS lager I did uses an ale yeast at those temps. Is yours something like that? It's got a ways to go yet,so don't sweat it...

The yeast was in a plain sachet with no ID on it so im not 100% sure. either way it does state 7 days in the bucket and then 14 days in the bottles.

From what i have read im thinking maybe 10-12 days in the container just to get it as clear as possible before bottling. Then the bottles will be stored in my hut to keep a little cooler.

**unionrdr** · 06-29-2011, 03:38 PM

The cooper's OS lager I did came with ale yeast,brewed at 70F (21C),after high pitch temp. cold water top off,my a$$! Took 12 days flat to ferment,& clean up. Cleared to a slight haze,witch I've found to be ideal. It leaves plenty of yeast for bottle carbonating,& less yeast trub when it's done that,& chilled for a few days.
So 12 days to clean up & settle well is def possible. Just make sure you have an FG stabilized over 2-3 days. The cooper's OS "lager" was good at 3-4 weeks in the bottle. 3 weeks is average time for an average gravity beer to condition.

thrall · 07-01-2011, 08:10 PM

Slight problem. the instructions didnt state I had to take a reading on my hydrometer before fermentation so i dont have a base line to see whats happening.

When i did put the hydrometer in its giving a reading of 1.006, I have never used one before so no idea what that actually means.

jaycount · 07-01-2011, 08:36 PM

1.006? That's low... lower than I would've expected it to finish at. Try testing the hydrometer in room temperature water to see if it's at 1.000....

thrall · 07-02-2011, 07:18 AM

Ok well after another try these are the results

Water : 0.996
Lager : 1.006

does that sound like its getting there?