Lager help needed

[Straydog]

I started my first lager all extract saflager-25 yeast. i pitched at a high temp 75ºF and i thought better of it after it was in. i have a icebath setup up to keep the temp at a constant 50ºF -+3 (the brew shop guy said 50)after three days i had no activity at the airlock.
i let the temp rise to 56ºF overnight (by accident) and the next morn there was activity but when the temp was brought down to 50ºF the activity would stop and restart at 55º is this right?
I am now 1 week in and i am starting to think i want 55-58ºC before i pooch this one i hope to get some advice.

 

[thevalkrye]

well...the higher the temperature the more active the yeast will be.

50 is not too cold to ferment lagers at. i usually start mine at 45 then let them get up to 50 over the first 2 days or so.

im assuming you mean saflager-23 not 25...the manufacturer recommends a fermentation temperature of 9 to 15 deg C with the ideal being 12 deg C (this is about 48 to 59 deg F with ideal about 54 deg F)

lager yeast ferment at a slower rate than ales and may not be as explosive..you dont see the huge krausen head..tons of C02 production etc...that dosent mean its not working.

how long did it ferment at 75 deg F for? (dammit can someone tell me how to get the nice little degree symbol)...that is pretty warm for a lager and you may end up with some off flavors depending.

you might want to read up on lager fermentation a bit more....check wyeast's web site (i know you arn't using wyeast, but they still have some good info)

Wyeast Laboratories : Home Enthusiasts : Brewers : Technical Information : Lager Brewing

 

[Straydog]

º= alt key and 167
i pitched at 75 and brought the whole thing down to 48 50 in two hours

 

[thevalkrye]

let it finish at 50-54ºF..it may be done already if its been a week..maybe do a gravity reading. then raise the temp up to around 58-60 and let it rest there for a few days for a diecetyl rest. you can taste the sample you take and see if it needs it.

are you going to lager this beer? what kind/style is it?

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I am brewing two lagers with S23 right now.

I am giving them about two weeks at 50* in a cooler, two days at 60* for a rest, then into a secondary for two weeks at 38* in my kegerator. The first will be kegged this weekend, the second batch in two weeks. The kegs will go back into the kegerator for at least a month of Lagering.

Hopefully the first will be ready to tap by Christmas.

 

[Pivzavod]

I am brewing two lagers with S23 right now.

I am giving them about two weeks at 50* in a cooler, two days at 60* for a rest, then into a secondary for two weeks at 38* in my kegerator. The first will be kegged this weekend, the second batch in two weeks. The kegs will go back into the kegerator for at least a month of Lagering.

Hopefully the first will be ready to tap by Christmas.

1+ month of fermenting + 1+ month of lagering should make a nice beer....Post pictures how crystal clear it will be. What kind of lagers? I am saving my Coopers American Lager until mid to late December when it will get colder.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

1+ month of fermenting + 1+ month of lagering should make a nice beer....Post pictures how crystal clear it will be. What kind of lagers? I am saving my Coopers American Lager until mid to late December when it will get colder.

The first is an amber, a Dos Equis Amber Lager clone. It has cleared up pretty good in the secondary in the fridge.

The second is a "American Premium Lager", like a Michelob. I claim it's for SWMBO, but I like a glass of light stuff from time to time. It's just going into the 60* rest now, so it's pretty cloudy. It should clear up in the secondary.


I'm going to hold out tapping them as long as possible, but I may have dry taps soon.

Here is the Premium:

Here's the Amber, it is hard to see, but it's cleared up really well:

 

[FxdGrMind]

my taste buds are salavating at that last pict.....

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I just kegged that amber lager pictured above.

OG = 1.059
FG = 1.013
ABV ~6%

Sampled it in the test jar and it tasted GOOD. I filled a keg and a 2 liter bottle.

The keg gets to sit for a few weeks in the kegerator at 38*, but I have a cabonator cap on the 2 liter bottle. It's sitting with 30 psi on it, gonna drink it tonight.

:rockin:

 

[Straydog]

Its all good just it all worked out just fine 1.060 to 1.016 two months in bottle taste like a zeigenbock.