Lager Fermentation Schedule

I wanted some opinions on this one I guess cause I'm bored. I have a lager that's been fermenting, and I'm wondering if you guys would go ahead and do the d-rest now. I don't want to take a fermentation sample because I'm both too lazy to go through opening the bucket and taking the sample, and I also don't want any risk of contamination. Here's what I have:

1.) It's a 1.059 OG pilsner.
2.) Has been fermenting at 48-49F range for exactly two weeks.
3.) It has a blow-off tube that currently releases one big burp every 15 seconds.
4.) Pitched the correct amount of yeast (and a little more) at the fermentation temperature.

I was planning to just bump the controller up for the d-rest, but the bubble every 15 seconds has me thinking I may be earlier in fermentation than I thought. It may be going faster than the earliest days of the fermentation. Would you just wait another week, or take the temperature up now?

Newgene said:

I wanted some opinions on this one I guess cause I'm bored. I have a lager that's been fermenting, and I'm wondering if you guys would go ahead and do the d-rest now. I don't want to take a fermentation sample because I'm both too lazy to go through opening the bucket and taking the sample, and I also don't want any risk of contamination. Here's what I have:

1.) Has been fermenting at 48-49F range for exactly two weeks.
2.) It has a blow-off tube that releases one big burp every 15 seconds.
3.) Pitched the correct amount of yeast (and a little more) at the fermentation temperature.
4.) It's a 1.059 OG pilsner.

I was planning to just bump the controller up for the d-rest, but the bubble every 15 seconds has me thinking I may be earlier in fermentation than I thought. It may be going faster than the earliest days of the fermentation. Would you just wait another week, or take the temperature up now?

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I typically do the diacetyl rest at about 75% of the way to FG, or about day 7-10. Without any SG readings, it would just be a guess to where fermentation is, but it's probably done or mostly done, and probably past the 75% finished area.

We wait until it appears that primary is over. Mostly in the 7 to 10 days frame as well

Again, I'm sure most of my question is just from laziness. The only thing throwing me off is the bubble every 15 seconds, and the fact that it seemed like activity has increased. I'm thinking I can just give it a 48 hour d-rest, and surely fermentation will be done at that point. I'm also wondering if I may just be on the cold side for this yeast.

Also, would you say 1.020 is the gravity for d-rest temp start?

Newgene said:

Again, I'm sure most of my question is just from laziness. The only thing throwing me off is the bubble every 15 seconds, and the fact that it seemed like activity has increased. I'm thinking I can just give it a 48 hour d-rest, and surely fermentation will be done at that point. I'm also wondering if I may just be on the cold side for this yeast.

Also, would you say 1.020 is the gravity for d-rest temp start?

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Well, it depends on what the OG was. For something like a dopplebock, the beer might be done at 1.020, but for a light American lager, the FG might be 1.007 and so 1.020 may or may not be 75% done.

For your 1.059 pilsner, I'd expect a FG of 1.012ish, so 1.020 might be close.

Yooper said:

Well, it depends on what the OG was. For something like a dopplebock, the beer might be done at 1.020, but for a light American lager, the FG might be 1.007 and so 1.020 may or may not be 75% done.

For your 1.059 pilsner, I'd expect a FG of 1.012ish, so 1.020 might be close.

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Do you just assume the range to be linear and pick the 75% point between OG and FG? BS has this one finishing at 1.016. That would put me at ~1.027..

Ok...I'm about to go take a gravity reading. For s&%s and giggles, anyone want to make a friendly guess on the reading?

1.040

Well, looks like it's just a very cold fermentation taking a while. It's still less than halfway through. Had about a 1/4" of foam on top, too. Not ready for d-rest. Now, the trick is when to check again. I'm thinking a few more days of bubbling should do it.

Newgene said:

1.040

Well, looks like it's just a very cold fermentation taking a while. It's still less than halfway through. Had about a 1/4" of foam on top, too. Not ready for d-rest. Now, the trick is when to check again. I'm thinking a few more days of bubbling should do it.

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Wow, that is really slow. I've never had a lager take more than 10 days to ferment. Weird, if you pitched enough yeast. I normally do a 3 gallon-ish starter for my 1.060 pilsner and then of course decant the spent wort. I pitch at 45 degrees.