So, I started a lager yesterday. I pitched the yeast at room temp and I am waiting for signs of fermentation to begin before moving it to the fermentation temp. My question is, should I move it when I see the first bubble in the airlock, or should I wait for it to be fairly vigorous. I am currently seeing about 1 bubble every 30 seconds. Any help would be great.
Lager fermentation question
- Thread starter malc
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
samc
Well-Known Member
I would do it now! 2 schools of thought, one is to pitch warm and drop temps asap and the other is to pitch at fermentation temps. I think you get a better beer by doing it the second way. At least in my experience.
Yeah, cool first then pitch when both are the same temp, like 52 degrees. That's my preferred method too. If you're seeing activity already then step it down man! I'd step it down 5 degF per day but you might want to just drop it all at once. You might thermally shock your yeast if you drop it too quickly and they'll go on strike for a couple days.
That is kind of why I was asking. I normally would chill it down and keep it there, but I was out of fridge space for a bit. All is good now, though. I moved it. If it shuts down for a couple days that is fine. It is a marzen, so other than diacetyl rest, it won't see the light of day until late September. Thanks guys.
there are 2 schools of thoughts when it comes to this.
For the first school, warm pitching is said to decrease lag time since yeast metabolises faster when it is warm (warm means ale temperature in this context). This is said to benefit the fermentation. Once the yeasts go into fermentation mode, the wort is cooled to lower temperatures.
For the 2nd school, they swear by only pitching the yeast at the lager fermentation temperature. Though the lag time could be longer it is said to produce a cleaner beer because during the lag time and early stages of fermentation, significant amounts of undesirable (in this case) esters will be formed.
For the first school, warm pitching is said to decrease lag time since yeast metabolises faster when it is warm (warm means ale temperature in this context). This is said to benefit the fermentation. Once the yeasts go into fermentation mode, the wort is cooled to lower temperatures.
For the 2nd school, they swear by only pitching the yeast at the lager fermentation temperature. Though the lag time could be longer it is said to produce a cleaner beer because during the lag time and early stages of fermentation, significant amounts of undesirable (in this case) esters will be formed.
bja
Well-Known Member
There's also a 3rd school. Pitch cooler and let it rise up to fermentation temp which is what I do. I brewed a Vienna lager over the weekend. Pitched at 48 and let it rise up to 52.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
Why didn't anyone ever tell me to buy a grain mill sooner- Latest: corkybstewart
-
-
-
