Lager Yeast Question

Noleafclover · Oct 16, 2009

This weekend I'm brewing my first lager. The yeast strain I'm using is White Labs Oktoberfest. I figure I'll brew one now so I can enjoy it when I make another in March. I have a johnson controls unit to keep the fermentation temps at the right spot, etc etc.

However, I still have a simple question... Since lager yeast is a bottom fermenting yeast, does kreusen still form at the top of the beer when it's hanging out in the carboy?

Thanks,

Noleaf

SpanishCastleAle · Oct 16, 2009

Yes, you still get krausen but it's not quite as tall/big as an ale krausen. That yeast is notorious for starting slow so be patient, aerate well, pitch a lot, etc. It can also throw a little sulphur so it might not smell that great during fermentation but the sulphur should go away with conditioning. It's great yeast though. :mug:

menschmaschine · Oct 16, 2009

The only visible difference between an ale fermentation and a lager fermentation is that the lager has a smaller, tighter/neater krausen... like this (this is high krausen on a lager with Saflager W-34/70, same as White Labs WLP830):

Noleafclover · Oct 16, 2009

Thanks! I made a big starter so I'm hopping that helps....

Firstnten · Oct 29, 2009

Noleafclover said:
Thanks! I made a big starter so I'm hopping that helps....

Curious how this is going for you. I used the same yeast it took over 48 hours to get going. There is allot of "suspension" that I hope will go away (maybe with Lagering). I have used lager yeasts before without Lagering and there wasn't 1/3 of the suspension I see in this after the same time span. Initially I wasn't going to lager this but I have heard such praise on the "Malt profile" of this yeast that I'm considering it. I have to decide this weekend.

Noleafclover · Oct 29, 2009

After about 48 hours it began bubbling with the temp at 52 F. Two weeks later it's still bubbling off and on at the same temp. This one is in a plastic bucket so I can't really see how the kreusen looks. My plan was just to let it roll and see what happens.

The freezer it is in smells like sulphur too.

malnutriton · Nov 3, 2009

Hey NoLeaf,

I have used this yeast with the same effect of sulfur, the fridge Smelled like my bedroom after a night of sour beer. I would have to say i do prefer the other german strains for lagers, they are a bit cleaner but all are good if you pitch right and keep em cool. You should for sure harvest the yeast and repitch. I have found that especially with lagers the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gen yeast is way better than the first pitch.

Glad to hear your doing lagers now...thay the bomb.

mordantly · Nov 3, 2009

menschmaschine said:
The only visible difference between an ale fermentation and a lager fermentation is that the lager has a smaller, tighter/neater krausen... like this (this is high krausen on a lager with Saflager W-34/70, same as White Labs WLP830):

are those 5 gallon batches in a 6 gallon bottle?

sudbuster · Nov 4, 2009

menschmaschine said:
The only visible difference between an ale fermentation and a lager fermentation is that the lager has a smaller, tighter/neater krausen... like this (this is high krausen on a lager with Saflager W-34/70, same as White Labs WLP830):

Very neat sir. Neat indeed!

menschmaschine · Nov 4, 2009

mordantly said:
are those 5 gallon batches in a 6 gallon bottle?

Those are 6 gallon BBs. As for the batch size, the end volume is 10 gallons total. There is probably 5+ gallons in each of those. I brew 11 or 12 gallon batches, depending on how one looks at it ("loss to boil trub").

Noleafclover · Nov 4, 2009

malnutriton said:
Hey NoLeaf,

I have used this yeast with the same effect of sulfur, the fridge Smelled like my bedroom after a night of sour beer. I would have to say i do prefer the other german strains for lagers, they are a bit cleaner but all are good if you pitch right and keep em cool. You should for sure harvest the yeast and repitch. I have found that especially with lagers the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gen yeast is way better than the first pitch.

Glad to hear your doing lagers now...thay the bomb.

Yah man... I need to get another freezer to turn into a lagerator. I'm using my freezer for both the kegs/lagering which tends to mean the beer is a little warm...

mordantly · Nov 4, 2009

menschmaschine said:
Those are 6 gallon BBs. As for the batch size, the end volume is 10 gallons total. There is probably 5+ gallons in each of those. I brew 11 or 12 gallon batches, depending on how one looks at it ("loss to boil trub").

thats great news. i was worried if i got some, i wouldn't be able to do 5 gals in it. thanks.

Lager Yeast Question

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

Noleafclover

Well-Known Member

SpanishCastleAle

Well-Known Member

menschmaschine

Well-Known Member

Noleafclover

Well-Known Member

Firstnten

Well-Known Member

Noleafclover

Well-Known Member

malnutriton

Well-Known Member

mordantly

Well-Known Member

sudbuster

This ain't my first rodeo....

menschmaschine

Well-Known Member

Noleafclover

Well-Known Member

mordantly

Well-Known Member

Similar threads

Latest posts

Lager Yeast Question

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

This ain't my first rodeo....

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!