Hey all! I've got myself a Oktoberfest/Marzen fermenting right now that had an OG = 1.060. Yeah, yeah, I know that's slightly (about 0.005 points) high according to the BJCP guidelines, but I'm brewing this for an Oktoberfest party, so going a little higher seemed appropriate (that, and my efficiency came in higher than anticipated). At any rate, it just got finished with its diacetyl rest and is sitting at SG = 1.021. This is in keeping with the yeast that I pitched, which was a starter of WLP820, their Oktoberfest/Marzen lager blend. It has attenuation values of 65-73%, so it stopping at this point makes sense (expected anywhere from 1.016-1.022).
Despite my high OG I would still like to keep the FG within style guidelines to keep the drinkability of this. So I went out and got myself a pack of Wyeast 2124, their Bohemian Lager which has attenuation of 73-77%. Based upon my calculations, this should put me at an FG of ~1.013-1.016; safely within the style guidelines.
So, my question is should I just smack it and pitch it in or make a small yeast starter and pitch this in at high krausen (of the starter)? It only needs to drop me 1.008-1.005 points, so I don't think I need a big starter, I was planning on make a .6L starter (with 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient) just so I can pitch them in at their peak activity. I plan to pitch the whole starter, which will only be kept on the stir plate to aerate so as to not have a cardboardy-tasting starter. Does this sound like an okay remedy to my situation?
Thanks HBT!
PS. Brewing this on 04/15/12, and have been fermenting in a temp controlled vessel at ~52F, raised up to mid-sixties for its three day diacetyl rest.
Despite my high OG I would still like to keep the FG within style guidelines to keep the drinkability of this. So I went out and got myself a pack of Wyeast 2124, their Bohemian Lager which has attenuation of 73-77%. Based upon my calculations, this should put me at an FG of ~1.013-1.016; safely within the style guidelines.
So, my question is should I just smack it and pitch it in or make a small yeast starter and pitch this in at high krausen (of the starter)? It only needs to drop me 1.008-1.005 points, so I don't think I need a big starter, I was planning on make a .6L starter (with 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient) just so I can pitch them in at their peak activity. I plan to pitch the whole starter, which will only be kept on the stir plate to aerate so as to not have a cardboardy-tasting starter. Does this sound like an okay remedy to my situation?
Thanks HBT!
PS. Brewing this on 04/15/12, and have been fermenting in a temp controlled vessel at ~52F, raised up to mid-sixties for its three day diacetyl rest.