Lager Fermentation Questions

Greetings All,

I currently have a Bohemian Pilsner fermenting in my kegerator at 51F. It's been in there 6 days, the first 4 at 48F and then slowly increasing by 1F per day. I just took a sample of it and it's at 1.021. I pick up a great flavor and no diacetyl, (well, maybe right at threshold levels) even warmed up.

My question is, I have a bag of grain for a Munich Dunkel staring me in the face. I really would like to brew it. I would like to brew it, however it would be a tight squeeze for both a fermenting bucket and a corny keg in the ferm chamber.

Can I "lager" at fermentation temps for the dunkel for the 7-10 days it would take for that one to finish then just drop them both down to lager temps when the time is right?

In essence, this is my proposed schedule:

Today: begin diacetyl rest on the BoPils by increasing temp to 58F, begin starter for Munich Dunkel
12/24: Increase BoPils to 63F. Crash Dunkel starter.
12/25: PRESENTS. Also, increase BoPils to 68F. Check for FG and diacetyl. Decant Dunkel starter and brew part two.
12/26: Brew Munich Dunkel. Rack BoPils to keg, seal keg with 20PSI, and set it in the ferm chamber at 48F fermentation temp. Pitch yeast on Dunkel.
12/27-1/7: ferment Dunkel, including D-Rest.
1/8: Keg the dunkel and begin lagering under pressure for both at 12PSI
2/2: Tap then drink both for the Super Bowl!

Yes, I know yeast doesn't work on my schedule, but this is better than borrowing space from a fellow homebrewer then having to move the keg after the dunkel is finished and disturbing all the sediment.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jason

I don't think the starting time for the lagering is too critical, you just want to make sure you don't start warming that BoPils too soon. It should be 75% or more complete for the D-rest.

The OG was 1.050 and the gravity today was 1.020. The 2124 yeast has been a monster!

You're only going to leave your pilsner at 68 for one day? I generally leave mine at 68 for 3 days to make sure the fermentation is complete. Mine generally comes down to 1.011 or somewhere close to that before going into the lagering stage.

Well, I've been slowly ramping it, today it would go from 51 to 56, the tomorrow 56 to 63, then 63 to 68 on the 25th, where it would sit for about 36 hours. It's easy enough to push the brew day back to Saturday for a 3-day d-rest.

Id say you would be fine. ive done two batches like that. However, mine were only a day apart. Like others have said getting it down to lager temp isnt that critical its the fermentation temp that really counts. ive used that yeast strain and many others and have never had a problem with diacetly. That being said I always do a rest anyway. Id say go for it! Good luck!

Good read

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10.html

Once the fermentation is done (end of D-rest), I see no issue in letting the beer sit at ferm. temps., letting both ferment, then lagering them together. With lagering, one week here or there isn't a huge deal.

Do I need to worry about overpressurizing the lagering keg during that week at fermentation temps??

I'm planning to seal it with 20PSI then disconnect the gas, and then once the Dunkel is ready, set them both at 38F and 12PSI.

plan is fine, i do it all the time

TheJasonT said:

Do I need to worry about overpressurizing the lagering keg during that week at fermentation temps??

Click to expand...

no