First Lager Brew day (Maibock) Help!!

I will be brewing my first lager beer this weekend. It is a brewers best kit that I received from my mother. I am going to buy my yeast online, and will probably be Wyeast.

I am thinking of Bohemian lager 2124 or Bavarian lager 2206.

Are these ok to use??? Does anyone suggest something else?

I also need help in the fermentation area. I have a cold basement floor that will work well, but need to know what other tips to use for best lagering temperatures.

Wet T-shirt? Ice Bath?

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

I've used both and like the results. Make a starter as soon as it arrives, if possible.

I ferment all my lagers in primary at about 45 or so until it is almost finished (by hydrometer). Then, I'll remove from my fridge and let it warm to room temp for a few days (diacetyl rest). Rack. Then cool down as cool as your system allows (I keep mine at about 32) for as long as necessary (the bigger beer, the longer it lagers). In general, for a standard strength, I'll lager about 2 months. If you have to use an ice bath, it will require more attention. Maybe put it out in your garage, being from Iowa? Check the temps out there for a few days and see if that's an option.

I used the Bohemian Lager in my Maibock. I tried to do the ice bath deal, but couldn't hold the temp steadily in the ideal temp range. It tasted like green apples right out of primary. It is currently lagering in my garage which ranges from 30-40 degrees. Should have a better handle on that yeast and it's flavors in about two months.

I'm making one later this week and using Munich lager. The starter is a very good idea, especially for fussy lager yeasts.

Before I upgraded to a chest freezer and temp controller, I had good luck placing my fermentor in a ice chest full of water and then adding frozen water bottles as needed.

I live in TX, so getting too cold was never the problem. Do you self a favor a place the ice chest in a area of the garage where you can drain the water if necessary. You will need to monitor daily. A lot of work, but it works.

good luck.

JR

I've had great success with Lagers without a fridge or chest freezer.
A good idea is to make a starter and build up to 3/4 to 1 gal size for lagers.
You didnt mention what temp. range your basement gets in the winter.
You should place a thermometer in a glass of water on the floor and take a reading after a day or so to see what temps you have to work with.
Anything below 60 degrees will work, the colder the better.
I have used both yeasts with excellent results. The Bohemian has a higher
optimum range of 58 degress which would be better for your situation.
You didnt mention using a chiller which is great to get the wort down to ferm. temps quickly. If you dont have a chiller use an ice bath or place fermenter outside in a snow bank to chill down.
hope this helps

All these tips definitely help. My basement currently (tested by glass of water) is 53 degrees. My garage would probably get too cold on these Iowa winter nights. I just put a glass of water outside with a thermometer. We will see what that brings.

Is two months the average time for a lager?

If I do the water bottle trick, what will happen if I dont stay consistent with my temperature.

Thanks guys.

I also just purchased the Bohemian Lager. Hope it works.

andyherrick said:

Is two months the average time for a lager?

If I do the water bottle trick, what will happen if I dont stay consistent with my temperature.

Thanks guys.

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I'd say 2 months is about the average time for a lager.

I didn't stay consistent with the water bottle method. My beer (straight out of primary) had a very young, green apple esq, taste. For all I know, that's how Bohemian Lager tastes right after primary since it was my first time using it. Also, something to keep in mind, I read in BYO that New Belgium's 1554 uses Bohemian Lager at ale temps for that beer.

1554 is a great beer. I just learned that my brew store was out of Bohemian so they are sending white labs 830. It is reccomended at 50-55 degree. My basement should be fine to do that. I will probably try to do the wet tshirt and water bottle trick. I will probably be smarter after the fact.

Does anyone know if a lager yeast starter is different than an ale? I know that it is wise to pitch more, but was wondering if anyone had some ideas.

Thanks again to everyone that replied.

The rule of thumb is to do lager starters a few degrees cooler than ale starters. I don't follow that rule though, mostly because of where I have to make my starters.

I don't have the book here in front of me, but I believe Greg Noonan's "New Brewing Lager Beer" recommends adding your starter when its at high kraeuzen. I think it recommends 5-10% of the total volume. Of course, since you are adding the whole thing you need to take that into account with your recipe and keep your starter around the same temperature you are going to ferment at.

Great tips. I have heard of pitching the starter cooler. I am glad you mentioned that. I just got done making my starter with white labs 830. I used 1 1/2 quarts of water to 1 1/2 cup of DME. Pitched at 60 degrees. All i had to ferment in is an old plastic two quart apple juice container. My carboy stopper fit perfectly in there with an air lock. I know that some people just use foil, or the cap loosley fitted on it, but I cant get my self to come to that. I am a worry wart. I am brewing on friday, and am excited to begin a lager even though it is a PM and not my usual all grain. What do you do though?

One last question and then I will stop bugging everyone. The WL vial said to start off fermentation at 70-75. I read on the site that fermentation needs to be 50-55.

Do I pitch at 70 and then once fermentation has started then drop degrees?

That might be tough with out a fridge.

For my starters I use tin foil. That helps CO2 leave and helps pull fresh air in without letting any dust, bacteria, or wild yeast into the starter. Remember, when making a starter, you're not making drinkable beer, you're making healthy yeast. Let that air get in there. If the starter wort tastes bad you could always decant it.

Pitching high and then dropping the temp can stall the yeast out resulting in a stuck fermentation. Especially if it's a 20 degree swing from starter temp to wort temp, since it'll shock the yeast. Another thing that will do is create some additional esters that may not go away once fermentation is complete.

Keep the questions coming.

I wouldn't pitch warm. I would pitch the yeast into the starter at the temperature you are going to ferment at, then hold the starter at fermentation temp until it's at high kraeuzen. Then pitch your starter into the wort when that is at the right temperature.

I think they recommend pitching warm to get the cell count up when you are pitching the vial straight into the full batch.

Thanks for the tips. I will have no trouble getting the wort down to 50-55 due to it being an extract/PM kit. My starter is bubbling very nicely. It is exciting to practice new brewing techniques. Thanks everyone.

I brewed on Friday night. Chilled the wort to 60 and pitched. I wanted it to get lower but it was 1:30 AM. I brew at nights due to me having young kids. It took of sometime Saturday. I got home on Saturday and it was bubbling very nicely. It is currently around 50-53. So far so good.

andyherrick said:

I brewed on Friday night. Chilled the wort to 60 and pitched. I wanted it to get lower but it was 1:30 AM. I brew at nights due to me having young kids. It took of sometime Saturday. I got home on Saturday and it was bubbling very nicely. It is currently around 50-53. So far so good.

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I always pitch my lagers the next morning. My lagers utilize a decoction mash, so it's late in the evening when I'm finished brewing. Then it takes the wort about 12 hours sitting at 35F to get from 70F down to 45F. I pitch at 45F and let it rise to 52F over the next 24 hours.