Diactetyl rest with Wyeast 2308 Munich Lager?

So I brewed an Oktoberfest a week and a half ago, and I'm wondering if anyone knows how important a diacetyl rest is? I'm heading out of town on Friday for 9 days, so I figure fermenation will probably not be done yet (I haven't checked the gravity since pitching), should I just forgo the diactyl rest?

Take a taste and see if you have a Buttery/Butterscoth taste. If you don't then you can just lager it.

Ref: How to Brew - By John Palmer - Yeast Starters and Diacetyl Rests
Ref: How to Brew - By John Palmer - When to Lager

Professor Frink said:

So I brewed an Oktoberfest a week and a half ago, and I'm wondering if anyone knows how important a diacetyl rest is? I'm heading out of town on Friday for 9 days, so I figure fermenation will probably not be done yet (I haven't checked the gravity since pitching), should I just forgo the diactyl rest?

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I've read that Munich Lager is a major diacetyl producer.
I always rise temperature for last 1/3 of fermentation using this yeast, just to be on the safe side.

WBC said:

Take a taste and see if you have a Buttery/Butterscoth taste. If you don't then you can just lager it.

Ref: How to Brew - By John Palmer - Yeast Starters and Diacetyl Rests
Ref: How to Brew - By John Palmer - When to Lager

Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking, but I won't have an opportunity to to the diactyl rest until it ferments out. I hope the yeasties will wake up at that point.

What were your pitching and fermentation temps? How does the Krausen look? Is it starting to fall? I always figure diacetyl rests are safer to do than not to do. If your Krausen has started to fall, you could just do the rest now before you go away.

menschmaschine said:

What were your pitching and fermentation temps? How does the Krausen look? Is it starting to fall? I always figure diacetyl rests are safer to do than not to do. If your Krausen has started to fall, you could just do the rest now before you go away.

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I pitched at 50 degrees, which is what it's been fermenting at for 10 days, and it's still chugging along. It doesn't look like the krasuen is falling yet. I'm going to check the gravity when I get home, I figure I can go and do the diacetyl rest tonight until Friday no matter what the gravity is.

Also, if you just let it in the primary at 50dF for the whole time you're away, that's sort of like a long, cooler diacetyl rest. It may serve the same purpose as a shorter, warmer one. Yeast can substitute time for temperature (within reason) for cleaning up diacetyl. And I don't think you'll suffer any noticable flavors from the beer sitting on the yeast an extra week and a half. Or, just raise the temp to the upper end of the optimal range, like 55dF and let it sit for the 9 days. That should definitely work. Just some thoughts.

Professor Frink said:

I pitched at 50 degrees, which is what it's been fermenting at for 10 days, and it's still chugging along. It doesn't look like the krasuen is falling yet. I'm going to check the gravity when I get home, I figure I can go and do the diacetyl rest tonight until Friday no matter what the gravity is.

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Was your starter at the same temperature? If so then I'd say you can probably not have to do a diacetyl rest. From what I understand if your yeast is at ferment temps (and by that I mean cold ferment temps, at the low range of the yeasts capability) and you pitch the yeast and maintain the wort at those temps then you don't need to perform a diacetyl rest as no detectable amounts are produced. However this is a function of yeast strain as well. I have always used the W34-70 which is noted to produce minimal diacetyl to begin with. I have never detected diacetyl in any of my Lagers.

Won't hurt to raise it to 55 and leave it there while you are gone. If there is any diacetyl that would be ample time for the yeasties to munch on it.

+1, Good answers guys. This beer will be good.

Thanks everyone. I tested the beer this afternoon, it was at 1.028 from 1.052. There was definitely some diacetly in there. I took it out of the kegerator for a diacetyl rest, I figure I'll let it come up to the high 60's or so, then bring it back down to about 50 while I'm gone. When I get back, I'll rack it and lager it for about 8 weeks.