Brewed my first Lager

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Twotaureanbrewing

Here to Learn
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
101
Reaction score
20
Location
Far West burbs
Brewed my first Lager a few weeks ago. Not much of a lager fan, small handful that I find drinkable. One in particular was a Vienna lager and just so happens latest issue of Zymurgy had a Vienna recipe. Thought why not, one more style under my belt and I won't need my freezer chest fermenter for IPAS and ales for the next several months (basement temp is a cool 62-65 degrees). So I have a few questions.

Recipe(in short)

10.75 Vienna malt
Wyeast 2206
Ferment at 54f

When gravity of 1.011 is reached crash at 35f for one month.

First does lager yeast have a longer lag time from pitching? Took almost 2days, used to ale yeast starting within hrs.

How long typically does fermentation last in a lager? Longer than ales? How long to my expected 1.011, typically?

I have white/ brownish krausen looks a little thicker than my ales, will that dissipate when fermentation is complete?

Lastly for now, after crashing at 35f for a month, will there be enough yeast in suspension to bottle carb? And for five gallons, how much corn sugar should I use.

Thanks all!
 
Typically, my lager fermentations take a month to complete, including d-rest. Pitching until initial fermentation is definitely slower. Kraeusen will fall, and you will have enough yeast to bottle.
 
Depending on your OG, I usually do a d-rest for 3 days at 65F when fermentation is 75% complete (FG 1.020-ish). Then back to 54F if FG hasn't been reached yet (although it probably will). Regardless, do not lower temp into the 30's until you have FG. After a month at 35F, there will still be yeast left in suspension although some people add a little at bottling just to be safe.
 
Back
Top