How's my lager going?

[h22lude]

I brewed a stella clone on 2/28/10.

mini mash .5lbs munich malt and .25lbs crystal 10L in 3/4 gallon at 160 for 45 minutes then sparge with 170 degree water bringing it to 2 gallons

4lbs extra light DME @ 60
1oz goldings @ 60
1lb extra light DME @ 20
.5oz goldings @ 20

Used S-23 yeast

OG was 1.05

Kept it at 53 to 55 degrees until today (13 days). Gravity today was 1.014. I will then bring it up to 65 degrees over the next week. After that hopefully my gravity will be 1.011 or so. Then let it lager at 40 for 6 to 8 weeks.

How does everything look so far? This is my first lager.

 

[Kaz]

Looks like it is right no track. Curious how it turns out, my wife and Mother like Stella. Good Luck!

 

[chays99]

I was going to do a Stella clone this weekend, but only had time for one session. Did you do a yeast starter?

This will be my first lager so I didn't want to rush into it without doing all of my homework.

 

[h22lude]

I was going to do a Stella clone this weekend, but only had time for one session. Did you do a yeast starter?

This will be my first lager so I didn't want to rush into it without doing all of my homework.

No. I used dry yeast and dehydrated it. I swirled it arou.d for 20 minutes and it took right off.

 

[IanC]

Way to go on taking that next step! I'm still struggling with figuring out how to maintain the correct temps in my home to pull off a lager. Good luck with it!

 

[BSBrewery]

Way to go on taking that next step! I'm still struggling with figuring out how to maintain the correct temps in my home to pull off a lager. Good luck with it!

I have a temp regulator for my garage fridge - if you can spare the 40 or 50 or whatever, it's worth it. but I brewed a lager this winter and the ambient air was colder than the garage, so I went with the carboy in a tub of cold water. That seemed to work just fine at keeping a colder temp. It was slightly higher than what the yeast company recommended, but the beer turned out pretty good (it was a bock).

Anyway, just a long way of saying - where there's a will there's a way. Don't get too hung up on keeping 50 degrees or whatever exactly.