Lagering temps and the affect on beer

[BugAC]

I brewed a german pilsner with some backyard hops a few weeks back. Fermented at the proper temp, did a diacetyl rest, dropped it down to 38ish to lager for a week or 2. I then secondaried via closed transfer to another fermenter to get it off the yeast, and placed the fermenter in my shop fridge which stays around 43 or so during the summer. I was planning on letting it ride in this fridge until a week or 2 before kegging. Reason being, is the fermenting freezer is occupied with a stout, and i want to get another lager going after the stout is kegged.

My question is, assuming the beer is tasting great when i transferred (which it did), what are the affects of lagering for a few weeks in the low 40s, as opposed to high 30s? If brulosophy told me anything, nothing we do in homebrewing statistically matters, but i don't rely on those results too much, and my goal is to make the best beer i can possibly make, and also to submit into some competitions for some awards.

 

[VikeMan]

My question is, assuming the beer is tasting great when i transferred (which it did), what are the affects of lagering for a few weeks in the low 40s, as opposed to high 30s?

With a slightly higher temp, the remaining yeast will take a little longer to drop, and the beer will stale a little faster.

If brulosophy told me anything, nothing we do in homebrewing statistically matters, but i don't rely on those results too much, and my goal is to make the best beer i can possibly make, and also to submit into some competitions for some awards.

Very wise.

 

[kevin58]

Perhaps not to your question but I would skip the secondary step and transfer straight to a keg and lager in that. Getting beer off the yeast has turned out to be not as big an issue as once thought. And even though you are doing a closed transfer into the secondary to mitigate oxidation it is still and extra step that isn't needed... especially since you are going into a keg later anyway.

 

[BugAC]

I already made the transfer, but in the future, i'll be doing this. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[user 341102]

Chill haze could be an aesthetic problem in this case. Lagering lower than serving temp will help the haze precipitate out. Since the beer was held at low temp for a couple weeks, it’s possible you already eliminated the haze.

 

[easttex]

My question is, assuming the beer is tasting great when i transferred (which it did), what are the affects of lagering for a few weeks in the low 40s, as opposed to high 30s? If brulosophy told me anything, nothing we do in homebrewing statistically matters, but i don't rely on those results too much, and my goal is to make the best beer i can possibly make, and also to submit into some competitions for some awards.

In my limited experience, nothing. You've already made the beer. Storing it slightly warmer won't have much effect on it.

 

[BugAC]

Chill haze could be an aesthetic problem in this case. Lagering lower than serving temp will help the haze precipitate out. Since the beer was held at low temp for a couple weeks, it’s possible you already eliminated the haze.

I've also fined it with gelatin already, so maybe the haze won't be an issue.