First Time Lager, Need Advice!

[Yjie91]

Hi guys, really hope you all could help me out and advise me as its my first time doing a lager.

I'm brewing a Morgan's Australian Blonde extract with 2 packs of 11.5g SAFLAGER-23 and 2 packs of 500g (2.2lbs I think) of Extra Light Spray Malt.

OG was measured to be 1.065.

21 JAN 18:
I pitched warm at about 20-24 deg.C, but its really a guess, as the strip thermometer on the outside of my fermenting vat was damaged. Temperature of the fridge was them set at 11 to 15 deg.C, with a 4 deg.C differential. The temperature probe was taped to the outside wall of my fermenting vat, so it kind of measures both the temperature of the vat on the inside of the probe and the ambient air on the outside of the vat.

22 JAN 18:
No krausen formed, but I reduced the temperature to 10 to 12 deg.C, with a differential of 2 deg.C. I did this as I was worried that it will create esters, which is not desired in lagers.
A taste test revealed that it was very sweet and malty.
Hydrometer checks revealed that the SG is now 1.045.


23 JAN 18:
The top of the wort now has a thin floating of cream coloured foam. However, I still reduced the temperature to 9 to 11 deg.C, with a differential of 2 deg.C. I did this as I was wanted to push for a clear lager characteristics; clean and crisp with very few esters and other aromas, if you will.
A taste test revealed that it was more bready now. It was also mildly fizzy.
Hydrometer checks revealed that the SG is now 1.035.

24 JAN 18:
The top of the wort now still has a thin floating of cream coloured foam. Temperature is held at 9 to 11 deg.C, with a differential of 2 deg.C.
Nothing much has changed, if any, in flavour, appearance, etc. It is however, quite fizzy now.
Hydrometer checks revealed that the SG is now higher (?!) at 1.037.

Some questions for your advice here:

1) Is everything okay? I am rather anxious about it. Also, given the high OG of 1.065, what do you think the estimated FG would be?

2) Am I currently fermenting too low? The saf-23 package said to ferment at 12-15 deg.C but I am worried about the estery and fruity notes when fermenting at higher temperatures.

3) So you think I have a stuck fermentation now that my SG as not changed (or rather increased)?

4) I was advised to do a diacetyl rest at 21 deg. C. I will probably do it at a temperature range of 20-22 deg.C with a 2 deg.C differential. Is this okay? If it's not, what is your advised temperature?

5) Should I literally set the temperature as such and allow it to jump to the temperature, or should I slowly ramp it up every 12 hours by 2 deg.C till I hit the diacetyl rest temperature?

6) I intend to carbonate the beer in 750ml bottles with 2 carbonation drops in each bottle, then lager it. Will there be any problems if I do that?

7) What should my carbonating temperature be? Should it be at my fermenting temperature at 9-11 deg.C or unchanged at diacetyl temperature at 20-22 deg.C? How long should I carbonate them for?

8) Lastly, what is the recommended temperature for lagering? Is 3-5 deg.C okay for a minimum of 14 days?

I'm so sorry for the ton of information and questions. As you can probably tell, I am rather anxious about it. It would really help with your input here, although I know it might be a pain to answer every one of them.

Thank you so much and once again, so sorry for the long post and for an inconveniences caused.

I look forward to your replies and advice!

Cheers!
Yjie91

 

[Yjie91]

... Guys? Please help? Please?

 

[Sammy86]

Some questions for your advice here:

1) Is everything okay? I am rather anxious about it. Also, given the high OG of 1.065, what do you think the estimated FG would be?

2) Am I currently fermenting too low? The saf-23 package said to ferment at 12-15 deg.C but I am worried about the estery and fruity notes when fermenting at higher temperatures.

3) So you think I have a stuck fermentation now that my SG as not changed (or rather increased)?

4) I was advised to do a diacetyl rest at 21 deg. C. I will probably do it at a temperature range of 20-22 deg.C with a 2 deg.C differential. Is this okay? If it's not, what is your advised temperature?

5) Should I literally set the temperature as such and allow it to jump to the temperature, or should I slowly ramp it up every 12 hours by 2 deg.C till I hit the diacetyl rest temperature?

6) I intend to carbonate the beer in 750ml bottles with 2 carbonation drops in each bottle, then lager it. Will there be any problems if I do that?

7) What should my carbonating temperature be? Should it be at my fermenting temperature at 9-11 deg.C or unchanged at diacetyl temperature at 20-22 deg.C? How long should I carbonate them for?

8) Lastly, what is the recommended temperature for lagering? Is 3-5 deg.C okay for a minimum of 14 days?

1. RDWHB...relax don’t worry have a homebrew! Lager yeast is notoriously known to be a slower starter....especially when not making a starter so relax, take a deep breath it’s going to be ok.

2. Not fermenting too low...leave the temp as is and let the yeast do their thing. Stop messing with the temp and keep at around 15 C

3. Your SG can not increase without a boil so I’m going to say you need to check the hydrometer.

4. I would do a diacetyl rest once fermentation starts slowing down...I usually do mine around day 9-10 depending on how the fermentation is going. You would be good around 20 C for that.

5. Again, I would let it ramp up naturally but adding some heat to it with a lamp or heating pad won’t hurt things to hold temp.

6. I would just let it Lager in the primary fermentor...6-8 weeks isn’t going to hurt as long as the airlock is filled. You can bottle and then lager but then you’re playing a guessing game with the carbonation levels because you’ll have to pop open a bottle or two to see how carbed it is before dropping the temp.

7. Carb temp should be as close to 26 C as possible...a little low or high won’t do anything terrible to the beer.

8. 3-5 C should be fine...I like to get the beer as cold as possible...you could also add gelatin to help clear things up quicker...once fermentation is complete cold crash the fermentor for 24-48 hours and then hit it with some gelatin and then lager for your desired time frame.

Hope this helps brewing brother!

 

[Yjie91]

1. RDWHB...relax don’t worry have a homebrew! Lager yeast is notoriously known to be a slower starter....especially when not making a starter so relax, take a deep breath it’s going to be ok.

2. Not fermenting too low...leave the temp as is and let the yeast do their thing. Stop messing with the temp and keep at around 15 C

3. Your SG can not increase without a boil so I’m going to say you need to check the hydrometer.

4. I would do a diacetyl rest once fermentation starts slowing down...I usually do mine around day 9-10 depending on how the fermentation is going. You would be good around 20 C for that.

5. Again, I would let it ramp up naturally but adding some heat to it with a lamp or heating pad won’t hurt things to hold temp.

6. I would just let it Lager in the primary fermentor...6-8 weeks isn’t going to hurt as long as the airlock is filled. You can bottle and then lager but then you’re playing a guessing game with the carbonation levels because you’ll have to pop open a bottle or two to see how carbed it is before dropping the temp.

7. Carb temp should be as close to 26 C as possible...a little low or high won’t do anything terrible to the beer.

8. 3-5 C should be fine...I like to get the beer as cold as possible...you could also add gelatin to help clear things up quicker...once fermentation is complete cold crash the fermentor for 24-48 hours and then hit it with some gelatin and then lager for your desired time frame.

Hope this helps brewing brother!

Thanks for the awesome advice! Alright i will stop fussing over it and chill. A question though, I think I was unclear earlier. I'm currently fermenting it at 9-11 deg.C, but the package said to ferment at approx 15 deg.C; that was why I asked if I was fermenting it too low, because I'm worried about the esters that may come be produced by the yeast at that temperature. So what Im asking is, is the current fermenting temperature of 9-11 deg.C too low?

Also I live in singapore, it's almost constantly 28-30 deg.C in both night and day, so fridge all the way it is hahah!

Cheers from Singapore!

 

[Sammy86]

Thanks for the awesome advice! Alright i will stop fussing over it and chill. A question though, I think I was unclear earlier. I'm currently fermenting it at 9-11 deg.C, but the package said to ferment at approx 15 deg.C; that was why I asked if I was fermenting it too low, because I'm worried about the esters that may come be produced by the yeast at that temperature. So what Im asking is, is the current fermenting temperature of 9-11 deg.C too low?

Also I live in singapore, it's almost constantly 28-30 deg.C in both night and day, so fridge all the way it is hahah!

Cheers from Singapore!

Yes, 9-11 is a little low IMO...bring it up a tad!

 

[Yjie91]

Alright so as of the time of this post, it would be the seventh day of my wort fermenting. The SG is now 1.020, and I'm thinking of pushing it down to 1.018 before doing a diacetyl rest.

Thing is, when I taste tested the wort after the gravity readings, it was mostly of 'nothing much in flavour' and the a small slight 'acrid rubber' at the back of the roof of the palate. I'm so worried it might be infected.

Please do let me know your thoughts on this.

Edit: I have decided to do the Narziss method and start the temp up for diacetyl rest as of writing this post.