Has anyone tried this quick-lagering method?

schematix said:

This method is solid as long as you:

3. Take a gravity reading before you crash it the first few times you do this to ensure you're done.

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Doing the fast lager method for the first time with a Dortmunder. Used my refractometer to take gravity readings during the various steps of fermentation and used BeerSmith refractometer tool to adjust for "fermenting wort". Per Beersmith within 2 weeks I was down to 1.010.

But yesterday, I decides to pull a sample to taste it before moving it off the yeast to lager it for a week or two, throw the hydrometer in the sample, and to my surprise it's reading 1.020 after adjusting for temp. How the heck did that happen?

jdauria said:

But yesterday, I decides to pull a sample to taste it before moving it off the yeast to lager it for a week or two, throw the hydrometer in the sample, and to my surprise it's reading 1.020 after adjusting for temp. How the heck did that happen?

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Refractometer correction formulas aren't very accurate. They will indicate change, but not much else once fermentation has started. Use it pre-fermentation only, or throw it in the trash.

Also if you didn't degas your sample thoroughly that tends to make the hydrometer float higher, which will give you a higher reading.

Refractometers (IME) are far more accurate than most people credit them with - I'm rarely out by more than a point of two for final gravity compared with a hydrometer reading. Having said that, I use the hydrometer if I want to be sure of a reading. Also, a cheap Ebay one is likely to be a piece of junk.

Like Schematix said, you need to degas samples when using a hydrometer - especially cold lagers (then tend to hold lots of carbonation). If your degassed sample still reads 1.020, try warming the beer up to 50F until fermentation finishes, then chill it again.

If my OG was 1.056 and my est FG is 1.011 would I start to ramp up them temp when my specific gravity is at 1.023 or when it hits 1.033 (50% of estimated attenuation) I'm using the white labs german lager yeast 830.

It's been at 12.5 degrees C for 8 days now and I'm down to 1.030. Sample tastes nice so far and no off flavors I can detect. Wait it out or am I safe to start ramping up to finish and d-rest?

Gnomebrewer said:

Refractometers (IME) are far more accurate than most people credit them with - I'm rarely out by more than a point of two for final gravity compared with a hydrometer reading. Having said that, I use the hydrometer if I want to be sure of a reading. Also, a cheap Ebay one is likely to be a piece of junk.

Like Schematix said, you need to degas samples when using a hydrometer - especially cold lagers (then tend to hold lots of carbonation). If your degassed sample still reads 1.020, try warming the beer up to 50F until fermentation finishes, then chill it again.

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I have a couple refractometers... a cheap $16 one and an "expensive" one my ex bought from midwest supplies for me... Guess what....side by side they are identical... They might sell them in different cases or with different readouts at drastically different prices but they are all constructed exactly the same of the exact same components and likely in the same factory... at least all the aluminum bodied ones Ive seen sold for home brewing. its a prism and it can be calibrated.... The one marked up to $60 int going to necessarily be any better regardless of the distributor you buy it from.

I also only use mine pre fermentation and use a hydrometer for FG.

bluebarnaclebrewing said:

If my OG was 1.056 and my est FG is 1.011 would I start to ramp up them temp when my specific gravity is at 1.023 or when it hits 1.033 (50% of estimated attenuation) I'm using the white labs german lager yeast 830.

It's been at 12.5 degrees C for 8 days now and I'm down to 1.030. Sample tastes nice so far and no off flavors I can detect. Wait it out or am I safe to start ramping up to finish and d-rest?

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I would like to know the maths on that too.
I went with the lower number for mine at only five days and took two days to go from 12-19C