Kegging a Lager

[mess1153]

Hi guys,

I am going to be legging my Oktoberfest this weekend and had a couple questions. It has been lagering at 38 degrees for about 8 weeks now in the primary and it is ready to go. First, should I transfer it into a secondary today and let it settle again? Second, do I let it rise to room temperature before kegging? I don't think I do but I wanted to be sure. Thanks in advance!

 

[Soviet]

Everything that could have dropped out generally would have by 8 weeks at that temperature. You can try adding a tablespoon of sanitized gelatin finings directly into your cold primary and wait a couple of additional days if you're concerned about clarity. A great many of us home-brewers don't do secondary for many reasons I won't get into here unless you're curious. As far as letting your primary warm up, I think most lagers can benefit from what's known as a "diacetyl rest," which helps clean up diacetyl in the beer at the end of fermentation. Usually you want to do this after final fermentation, after terminal gravity, but before crashing the beer to very low conditioning temperatures. I don't think it would hurt to do your diacetyl rest where you're at though.

 

[TopherM]

As far as letting your primary warm up, I think most lagers can benefit from what's known as a "diacetyl rest," which helps clean up diacetyl in the beer at the end of fermentation. Usually you want to do this after final fermentation, after terminal gravity, but before crashing the beer to very low conditioning temperatures. I don't think it would hurt to do your diacetyl rest where you're at though.

You aren't going to get any benefit whatsoever out of trying to do a D-Rest after lagering unless you want to put the yeast back into suspension, which is a BADDDDDD idea if you want a clear lager at this point!!

I don't secondary any beers EXCEPT lagers, as it just makes it that much easier to clear the beer during the lagering phase.

At the point where you are at now, just CAREFULLY rack above the trub at the temp you are at, then transfer to a corny and start force carbing.

 

[tre9er]

Yeah you want to D-rest right after FG is reached but before long-term cold-aging (lagering). At this point just rack and carb.

 

[mess1153]

Thanks for the responses! I fermented with an ale yeast so the DR was already done. I was curious about the warm up because it had been sitting so long. I was thinking of doing a secondary just to reduce the possibility of getting trub in the keg

 

[tre9er]

Thanks for the responses! I fermented with an ale yeast so the DR was already done. I was curious about the warm up because it had been sitting so long. I was thinking of doing a secondary just to reduce the possibility of getting trub in the keg

Nevermind the D-rest if an ale yeast then. The 8 weeks cold you did was really just an extended cold-crash. The beer oughta be pretty darn clear at this point. Just be careful moving it and keep the siphon off the bottom. When you keg it, give it plenty of time to carb and keep it still. The first time you pull from the keg, pour off at least 4-6oz. as this will be some sediment and often times isn't as carbed as the rest of the keg, in my experience. It will clear even more the longer it's in the keg.

 

[Soviet]

Lol why does the thread title reference lager if you brewed an ale.

 

[mess1153]

My understanding of the lagering process was that it just meant cold storage and conditioning. Since that takes place after fermentation I didn't think that the lager/ale yeast difference mattered all that much. I could be wrong (probably am) but that's why I referenced lager.

 

[alestateyall]

Any beer made with a lager yeast is a lager and any beer made with an ale yeast is an ale. But, no worries. Yours was a good guess too. Good luck with your brew. I bet it is gonna your patience is gonna pay off.

 

[TopherM]

Any beer made with a lager yeast is a lager and any beer made with an ale yeast is an ale.

.....and any ale made with coochie yeast is a coochie? <--- Fun with logic!

 

[alestateyall]

.....and any ale made with coochie yeast is a coochie? <--- Fun with logic!

You got it.

 

[tre9er]

The term "lagering" comes from the practice you describe, which was usually only done with beers brewed with a lager yeast. I would just call it cold-aging for an ale, personally.

Or a REALLY long cold-crash.