Beer Doctors - Lager Diagnosis...

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

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

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Jan 10, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
Salem
Hey guys,

I've got a lager that I brewed January 7th. I used 5 pounds of 2 row, and 2 pounds of flaked rice for the grain bill, and a 1 Liter Starter of Wyeast 2007, my sanitization is iodophor. With that grain and my brewing methods, I got a original gravity of 1.043 in 4.5 gallons, with an anticipated final gravity of 1.010. I planned to give it 10 days in the primary, the problem was it got insanely cold here (I know... I know... it's a lager - big deal) but the fermentation slowed down to next to nothing (expected) then pretty much stopped (unexpected). I took a gravity to see if it was finished and my gravity showed it was about halfway there (1.021). At that point, since I had beer in the hydrometer vessel, I tasted the wort, and sure enough - diacetyl.

Since I was at 1.021, and within the time frame for a diacetyl rest, I racked it to secondary, stirring up some trub and suspended yeast in the beer, as I'm planning a tertiary lagering phase for clarifying, brought the carboy in and increased the temperature from 38-42 in the garage to 60 degrees for 72 hours, in hopes of bringing the yeast back to life/removing the diacetyl. Gave it the 72 hours, and returned it to the cold garage.

Thinking about it tonight, I realized I should have taken a gravity before removing it to the garage - so I went and got one. It is at 1.018, so the fermentation isn't done, AND it still tastes and smells like diacetyl, it seems even stronger now.

So. Here's my ultimate question:

A) Do I leave it alone? RDWHAHB...

B) Consider krausening the beer with the reserved yeast I saved in another yeast starter to finish fermentation and hopefully metabolize the diacetyl in the process.

C) Bring it back inside at 60 degrees for a longer period of time to encourage diacetyl destruction.

I know that time cures all, and perhaps the diacetyl will get picked up in bottle conditioning, but curious what you all would do if you found yourself where I'm at.

Cheers,
Ben
 
Likely underpitched, 1.044 @ 4.5gallons would need like 280 billion minimum, you were at like ~200 billion.

You could try to bring it back in, at this point its not going to make it any worse.
 
Thanks for the suggestion Fuzze. I brought it back inside for a bit like you suggested. With it underpitched, is it worth pitching a second batch of yeast to finish it up, or just give it more time at this point?

Thanks again,
Ben
 
Back
Top