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Which Course of Action is Best for Lagers

  • Make starter @ room temp, pitch @ room temp, immediately put in lagerator

  • Make starter @ room temp, wait for activity, chill starter, chill wort, pitch & put into lagerator

  • Make starter @ room temp, pitch into room temp wort, wait for fermentation, then put into lagerator

  • Make starter @ lager temps, chill wort, pitch while in lagerator

  • Lager? I LOVE her!

  • Other (explain below)

Results are only viewable after voting.
Evan!

Evan!

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Well, now that my Winter Warmer is bottled, my lagerator is free. I haven't made a true lager yet---as soon as I got my lagerator, I put the WW in it, which is a lager/ale blend. Anyway, I know that there are many, many ways of going about lagers, but I want your opinion. I'm planning a pilsner for my first. So, what should I do?
 
Evan! said:
Well, now that my Winter Warmer is bottled, my lagerator is free. I haven't made a true lager yet---as soon as I got my lagerator, I put the WW in it, which is a lager/ale blend. Anyway, I know that there are many, many ways of going about lagers, but I want your opinion. I'm planning a pilsner for my first. So, what should I do?
Click to expand...

I am not sure what you are asking. But the general process goes something like this:

1. Brew the beer
2. Do a primary fermentation inside the recommended fermentation temps for the yeast strain.
3. When your gravity reaches around 1.015 or so (depending upon style and Target Grav.) bring the fermentation temp up for a diacetyl rest.
4. Rack to secondary and slowly bring temperatures down near freezing for at least a month.
5. Keg/Bottle
6. Condition
7. Enjoy
 
sonvolt said:
I am not sure what you are asking. But the general process goes something like this:

1. Brew the beer
2. Do a primary fermentation inside the recommended fermentation temps for the yeast strain.
3. When your gravity reaches around 1.015 or so (depending upon style and Target Grav.) bring the fermentation temp up for a diacetyl rest.
4. Rack to secondary and slowly bring temperatures down near freezing for at least a month.
5. Keg/Bottle
6. Condition
7. Enjoy
Click to expand...

Sorry, it posted my thread intro while I was still working on my poll. Hehe, he said "working on his pole". Anyway, I was just curious as to the best way to begin fermentation.
 
sonvolt said:
3. When your gravity reaches around 1.015 or so (depending upon style and Target Grav.) bring the fermentation temp up for a diacetyl rest.
Click to expand...

How long should my d-rest be?
 
Mary Anne has the innocent-farmgirl thing going on, but Ginger's got a nicer rack. I pick Ginger.
 
Evan! said:
How long should my d-rest be?
Click to expand...

Your d-rest should finish the fermentation. I have been letting my beer get up to room temperature when the gravity hits about 1.015. When it starts to warm up, the fermentation will take off even more vigorously. After about 24-48 hours (usually), my gravity has reached my target and the airlock stops bubbling. When the fermentation is complete, your d-rest is over and you can rack to secondary for the lagering phase.
 
sonvolt said:
Your d-rest should finish the fermentation. I have been letting my beer get up to room temperature when the gravity hits about 1.015. When it starts to warm up, the fermentation will take off even more vigorously. After about 24-48 hours (usually), my gravity has reached my target and the airlock stops bubbling. When the fermentation is complete, your d-rest is over and you can rack to secondary for the lagering phase.
Click to expand...

Right on. Thanks.

BTW, WRT your handle...listening to "Trace" right now. Goddamn what a great album! What do you think of Okemah? It's in my iTMS cart...worth the money?
 
Evan! said:
Right on. Thanks.

BTW, WRT your handle...listening to "Trace" right now. Goddamn what a great album! What do you think of Okemah? It's in my iTMS cart...worth the money?
Click to expand...

Def worth the $$. But Trace it is not! Lately, I have been listening to a lot of Uncle Tupelo and hoping that the new Son Volt album will be better than Okemah.

Have you checked out Gob Iron yet? Farrar and Anders Parker . . . sounds like good stuff, but I haven't had a chance to listen.

:mug:
 
OP - #3 IF your room temperature is about 70F and start cooling as soon as fermentation starts. NO DELAY! If this means staying awake for 72 hours, so be it, we all suffer for our art.:D
 
Even, make a large starter at warm temps (you want the yeast to grow, not worry about any flavor profile).
when the starter is ready and you have enough yeast ( I do a gallon starter, ferment out, let settle. decant spent wort on top of starter, cool starter to fermenting temps) and pitch into fermenting temperture wort.
Let ferment until almost complete and remove for diacetyl rest until terminal gravity reached, rack and cool to about 34f for a month or so.
Keg and carbonate the finest.
 
boo boo said:
Even, make a large starter at warm temps (you want the yeast to grow, not worry about any flavor profile).
when the starter is ready and you have enough yeast ( I do a gallon starter, ferment out, let settle. decant spent wort on top of starter, cool starter to fermenting temps) and pitch into fermenting temperture wort.
Let ferment until almost complete and remove for diacetyl rest until terminal gravity reached, rack and cool to about 34f for a month or so.
Keg and carbonate the finest.
Click to expand...

A gallon of fermented beer down the drain!!! I would be really tempted to add some hop tea or spices and put that in a secondary to clear . . . then bottle and have a session beer. Of course, it may taste pretty bad from being fermented warm, . . . :cross: :cross:

jk . . . big starters (I have learned) are pretty essential for getting short lag times with lagers.
 

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