Rack it or wait?

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missing link

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I have a Lager that is 7 days into primary. According to the yeast, I am supposed to rack it after 5 - 7 days. My gravity is 1.015 currently but it is still bubbling the airlock every few seconds. Should I rack it over anyway or wait for the activity to subside. My target gravity is 1.013.

This is my first lager.....

I'm hoping to have it ready for a super bowl party but I don't want to rush it.......

Thanks

Linc
 
I wouldn't rack anything that is still fermenting. I also wouldn't count on that being ready for the superbowl. Sorry man...
 
I recently did my first Lager. I was short of carboys, so I skipped the secondary and bottled. I then lagered in the bottle.

They are too crisp and clear. Meaning they did not need to secondary. It was a Munich Helles, so it is supposed to have little flavor, but MAN! I wouldn't mind it having a little more.

Yeah, better brew an ale,.... like yesterday, for the superbowl. Sorry!
 
Did you taste your sample? Did it have any diacytel (popcorn butter flavor)? If so, now is the time to warm it up over the course of a couple days to about 65F. Then rack to secondary and get it cold for a while. Lagers don't tend to peak for at least a month in the cold and they can benefit from 3 months... don't brew lagers if you're impatient....edit.. don't brew at all if you're impatient.
 
Wait. After you rack, wait another few weeks. After you bottle or keg, wait another 2-3 months. Then, you're ready. Sorry, man, but this isn't a Super Bowl beer (at least, not for this year's).


TL
 
The recipe in the book is a bit confusing then. I know I would normally ferment until done, rack over to secondary for 2 weeks, keg and wait at least 3 weeks.

However, this is what the book says (clone brews by Tess and Mark Szamatulski) ferment 5-7 days or until fermentation is complete, siphon to secondary, dry hop, then bottle when fermentation is complete.

This batch would be back up for the party. My local brewery sells a cornie fill for less than I can buy ingredients ($35 for 5 gallons) so I am getting a fill tonight, plus I have an Ale I made a few weeks ago fermenting as well. It went in to secondary today and should be ready in a few weeks.

Thanks for the input.

Linc
 
What are you cloning here? I've not been impressed by what I've seen from the Szamatulskis' recipes. I have "Beer Captured," myself, and I think all the recipes say the same thing you stated, whether it's a clone for Murphy's Irish Stout or Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. The only difference is some note at the end about when the beer peaks, or something like that.


TL
 
What yeast are you using? If you're using an ale yeast for a pseudo-lager, then you might be ok. Most of my lagers are in the primary for 12-14 days, then I do a diacetyl rest if needed, and then secondary for a week or two, then I start the lagering process and lager for about 6-8 weeks.

If you're not making a "real" lager with lager yeast, though, then you can make some modifications. What is the temperature you're fermenting at?
 
TexLaw said:
What are you cloning here? I've not been impressed by what I've seen from the Szamatulskis' recipes. I have "Beer Captured," myself, and I think all the recipes say the same thing you stated, whether it's a clone for Murphy's Irish Stout or Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. The only difference is some note at the end about when the beer peaks, or something like that.
TL

I agree. I'm a total newbie so I probably shouldn't comment, but anways, my feeling when I looked for recepies in "Beer Captured" is that it felt like the movie "Groundhog Day". It just keeps repeting itself, almost mecanically.

H
 
It's a Sam Adams Clone and I used a Lager yeast. Wyeast 2206. It's at 49 degrees +/- 1 degree.

I'm not impressed with the Szamatulski book either. If I didn't have beer smith I would have totally ruined 2 batches because the book fails to mention water adjustments when switching from Extract to PM or All Grain.

I'm hoping to find some recipes that I like and then play with them to make it a recipe I love.

Thanks guys

Linc
 
missing link said:
It's a Sam Adams Clone and I used a Lager yeast. Wyeast 2206. It's at 49 degrees +/- 1 degree.

I'm not impressed with the Szamatulski book either. If I didn't have beer smith I would have totally ruined 2 batches because the book fails to mention water adjustments when switching from Extract to PM or All Grain.

I'm hoping to find some recipes that I like and then play with them to make it a recipe I love.

Thanks guys

Linc

I have the clone books as well. I really just use them as a starting point or reference for the different beers/styles. Then, as you said, I smooth things out in Beersmith before brewing. There are just too many variables to follow their recipes exactly...
 
Where do you guys go for recipes usually? My problem is that I like beer, I just don't really know all the styles to be able to say what styles I like.

I don't drink coffee, nor do I like the roasted flavor of malts so a lot of Stouts and porters don't appeal to me. Most everything else I seem to like and I'm trying to build a group of recipes that I like. We all have the same problem, 5 gallons at a time makes it hard to try many. Though I'm on a roll making 11 batches in 8 months.
 
The answer to this question every time is wait. There are few brews (if any) that work best when rushed. An exception to that rule could be a small IPA...
 
missing link said:
Where do you guys go for recipes usually? My problem is that I like beer, I just don't really know all the styles to be able to say what styles I like.

I don't drink coffee, nor do I like the roasted flavor of malts so a lot of Stouts and porters don't appeal to me. Most everything else I seem to like and I'm trying to build a group of recipes that I like. We all have the same problem, 5 gallons at a time makes it hard to try many. Though I'm on a roll making 11 batches in 8 months.

Well, I usually come here for recipes first! I sometimes follow the recipe exactly, sometimes not. I tweak recipes all the time, though, and use Beersmith alot for that. You'll find that once you know what style and ingredients you like, it'll become much easier. I find I don't like roasty- ness in my beers either, so I tend to stick with styles that I know I like- ambers, IPAs, APAs, a few lagers, and the Dead Guy clone. I kind of rotate through them. I do make an occasional brown ale or ESB but never a stout or porter!
 
missing link said:
Where do you guys go for recipes usually? My problem is that I like beer, I just don't really know all the styles to be able to say what styles I like.

I don't drink coffee, nor do I like the roasted flavor of malts so a lot of Stouts and porters don't appeal to me. Most everything else I seem to like and I'm trying to build a group of recipes that I like. We all have the same problem, 5 gallons at a time makes it hard to try many. Though I'm on a roll making 11 batches in 8 months.

Buy lots and lots of fermenters and kegs. Fill all of them. then rotate them so you always have beer.
 
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