Krausening the Lager

Has anyone Krausened their lager with some of the beer from their next batch? I found an article on this and I know timing is critical but would like to try it once just to see the difference in the brew. The other great thing would be that I would not have to force carbonate my kegs. It would be like buying a commercial keg.......... tap and start drinking.

Ref: http://www.picobrewery.com/askarchive/krausen.htm

Kräusening: Techniques Brew Your Own Magazine Nov, 2006

It's also in the WIKI


Expert: John Snyder
Date: 1/17/2007
Subject: priming-krausening

Question
Would you please tell me more about the answer you gave on 05/28/2004,on the same subject:
"What you are looking at is a process called Kraeusening,that involves adding freshly fermenting wort into a finished beer.This method is more time consuming,and requires some specific analysis,of gravity,and yeast counts.In this process the carbonation period is significantly less.

here is a simple method of krausening(elimination of priming sugars)

1--clean and sterilze several mason jars,or large beer bottles and lids
2--take some of your wort as it reaches the end of the boil
,just prior to adding the finishing hops,and transfer the needed amount of the boiling wort to the jar,or bottle(empty the hot water first)and cap immediately.Let the wort cool to under 90 degree F and then refrigerate until your batch is ready for bottling
3---At bottling time,boil the saved wort for 10 mins.and chill,then add to the fermented beer and bottle.It is important to use the proper amount of unfermented wort for the particular beer you are priming

HERE IS A ROUGH GUIDELINE:based on 5 gallon batches.

Original gravity reading: Amount of unfermented wort:
1.030 2 quarts
1.040 1 1/2 quarts
1.050 1 1/4 quarts
1.060 1 quart
1.070 3 1/2 cups
1.080 3 cups
1.090 2 2/3 cups
1.100 2 1/2 cups

This should accomplish the type of priming you want to do.
Priming is not necessary in a true krausening,but is complicated.The home process that is outlined above should serve you well.
good luck,happy brewing
john "
I would like to use this method,adding unfermented stored wort prior to bottling-but you have mentioned yeast as well in your today's answer.Wort+yeast=fermentation=pressure;I don't want my bottles to explode.There is still dormant yeast in green beer-is that sufficient to get carbonization going,nice and slow.If it is not, how much yeast to add to your method described in 2004,when beer is to be stored in plain bottles.
I understand that krausening is adding fermenting wort,which requires controlled environment. Now,adding unfermented wort AND yeast you have mentioned,gives the same effect as adding fermenting wort.Would you please explain me,in more details,methods and effects of efficient priming,and yeast use,in this stage of homebrewing.Thank you kindly,Renata

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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Dear Mr.Snyder,in your answer on how to prime green beer, by using stored wort,there is no mention of using any yeast.What is the difference if wort only, or wort plus yeast is used.My goal is to get the best,natural carbonation faster,and don't have suitable space for extended lagering.Thank you kindly,Renata N, Vancouver,BC,Canada
-----Answer-----
Krausening is adding fermenting wort,that still has very active yeast,and fermentable sugars left,to a green beer to finish fermenting out.During this process,the green beer is kept under pressure,and the sugar that is fermented out by the yeast gives off CO2,and is absorbed into the green beer,carbonating it.

Priming beer is adding sugar,and some yeast,to the finished beer at bottling.It normally takes 2 weeks to carbonate at 65-75F,for yeast to consume the priming sugar,forming CO2

hope this answers your question.Any further questions,I will be glad to answer

I would say that the article you quoted here leaves out important facts that the PICO brewery article covers such as measuring the gravity and adding fermenting wort until you are 3 points over the gravity of the green beer. That is the way I would approach this because if the new yeast work on the sugar available it should be OK as far as bottle pressure if you have finish fermented the green beer. I will only do this with kegs thus I can implement a guage to see how it is progressing and if need be I could make up a pressure relief set at 12 LBS etc.