First Lager Confirmations/Questions

[fxdude]

I am doing my first lager (American Style Lager from Brewing Classic Styles). Just wanted to get a few confirmations/questions answered.

I went for the Narziss method of 44 degrees then finish at 50 (for primary which was recommended in the book). From the boil I cooled with a wort chiller to room temp, transferred to a carboy w/air lock, and set that in my bar fridge with a temp controller set at 44. 12 hours later I got it to 48 degrees, dumped it back into a sanitized pot to help aerate, pitched my 3.5 vials of yeast that were also chilled to 48, then transferred wort back into the carboy and back into the fridge. It's been sitting at about 52 degrees for four days and I'm starting to see a tiny bit of activity but airlock is not bubbling yet (hopefully today or tomorrow). It's a little above the the recommendations for the Narziss method but I'm hoping it's close enough.

I plan on leaving it in the primary at 52 degrees for two weeks, then if the readings are stable transfer to a secondary, lager around 32-34 degrees for 4 weeks (recommended time in the book).

At that point I plan on bottling, priming with corn sugar, and adding another vial of the same yeast strain to help with carbonating.

Main question is after lagering should I let the fermenter sit out and warm up to room temp (currently 68-70 for my ales), then also let the yeast warm up to room temp, bottle, then bottle condition at room temp? (that is my current plan)

Also, I still have that half vial of yeast left from when I pitched. I know making a starter out of that would probably be the best thing to do but I wasn't sure if I could just pitch that half vial and it would be enough to carbonate or if I should just go ahead and pick up a whole vial (will get into starters a few more batches down the road). I don't mind spending an extra $6 to make sure my first lager turns out ok.

Thanks

 

[Hex23]

I'd say you're already way ahead of most first-time lagers. I agree that being a couple of degrees above the Narziss method is no big deal. As long as you're not starting above the ferm temp like some folks do.

As far as the bottling questions, there is no real need to warm the beer back up to room temp. They'll get there when conditioning - 3 weeks at 70F. But you probably want to adjust your priming sugar to account for the temperature at bottling time. I have had no problems not even re-pitching yeast, even after 2 months of lagering. If you want to re-pitch, there's no need to use the same yeast since it won't add much flavor. You can just use about 1/4 packet of dry ale yeast.

 

[smizak]

FWIW, I just lager in the bottle. I don't see a difference. I just bottle, room temp for two weeks, and then wait for them to drop clear and bright in the fridge. Here's my Dortmunder Export, "lagered" in the bottle for only two weeks. I can read my post backwards through it. Maybe not in my crappy, grainy cellphone pic...

 

[fxdude]

Thanks Hex23, nice looking lager smizak, hopefully mine will look that nice.

The main reason I'm lagering in a carboy rather than the bottles is to get that secondary transfer in there rather than going directly from the primary to bottles to clean up a bit of the sediment.

In Brewing Classic Styles Palmer recommends fermenting only using a primary. I have a Blonde Ale recipe from his book which I left in the primary for the whole two weeks. It's two weeks in the bottle now, I cracked one open and had a taste, it was fantastic, first recipe was a hit but there is definitely a good amount of sediment on the bottom of the bottle. Not a big deal to me for an ale but I figure I'd like to get that lager as clean as I can.

 

[fxdude]

Checked last night and my hopes were correct, air lock was bubbling and I had foam and activity, very exciting. Was a little nervous since I'm used to my ales starting fairly quickly. I knew at colder temperatures and using the Narziss method it would probably take a little longer to start but five days started making me nervous since I pitched quite a bit of yeast.

Might have to leave this one in the primary for three weeks then on to lagering, will take some readings after it's been two weeks or until the activity slows to a halt whichever one comes second.

 

[fxdude]

Actually I have one other question. Does anyone think I need to do a diactyl rest before lagering or can I skip that and drop right down to 32-34 degrees because I went with the Narziss method?

 

[Hex23]

That's one of the benefits of the Narziss method, but there's one easy way to tell whether you need a D-rest. Just taste it when you are taking a gravity reading. If it's buttery tasting, then you need a D-rest, otherwise not.

Also, you probably know better, but you don't want to "drop right down" to 32-34. You should slowly drop about 1 to 2 F per day till you get to 32-34.