First Lager Higher than expected FG

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austintxeric

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I brewed my first lager 15 days ago. It was an Augustiner Lagerbeir Hell found here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f57/2011-1st-place-hbt-light-lager-augustiner-lagerbier-hell-238906/

Everything went smoothly. After 7 days at 51 degrees, my air lock activity had nearly stopped and checking my gravity showed me a reading of 1.028 so I raised the temperature to 62 for a diacetyl rest for 4 days and then I began lowering the temperature over the past 4 days to cold crash. I made a mistake by not taking a gravity reading after the 4 day diacetyl rest I guess. Today I pulled the carboys out to prepare to transfer for lagering for a month. I took a gravity reading today and it was at 1.021. The expected FG should be 1.012. Should I let the carboys warm up to the mid 60s and see if I can get the gravity to drop? It tasted good, although a tad sweet. I couldn't detect any buttery or off flavors. It actually tasted quite clean. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
 
Your timeline is way too fast for any lager beer, what was your OG? You can warm them up again to try and finish fermentation during another rest (however your yeasts are dormant), then lager.
 
My OG was 1.057. Everything I've read says that you want to do diacetyl rest when you are about 70-75% finished with fermentation, as primary fermentation is finishing up. When I took my reading after day 7, I was down in that range so that is when I started the diacetyl rest. I have read that if you wait until it is already at FG then you have missed the optimal window for a diacetyl rest.

I didn't know whether most people did diacetyl rest for much longer than 4-5 days? I wasn't sure how long to leave it at 62 degrees. So if I let it warm back to the mid 60s will that wake up the yeast again?
 
It might, you can try swirling them. You are right that your mistake was not checking the gravity before crashing. Have you calibrated yout hydrometer lately?
 
I will calibrate it again. I also use a hydrometer and have found the beersmith correction tool to do a good job with matching what I see on my hydrometer on previous FG readings. I will plan on letting it warm to mid 60s and swirl it and give it another week and do checks at that time. The good news is it tastes very clean already and just a tad sweet. Hopefully I can get it to drop at least a little more before lagering.
 

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