Lagering

[tprweller]

Okay, I have one batch in the bottle and would like to do a lager next. Here's where I'm at, I have a full size fridge dedicated to beer in my basement(Yeah I'm lucky). I want to eventually use it as my kegger but looking to use it also as a lagering fermenter. Am I better off to attempt to find a small fridge to use as a lagering fermenter or just stick with the full size and have it do double duty? I'm worried about the beer not being cold enough when I have a lager inside int he primary.

E

 

[Yooper]

It's up to you. Keep in mind that it's almost impossible to keep a fridge at 50 degrees, even on the highest setting, unless you have an external thermostat controller.

You'll want to have the primary at 50 degrees (fermenting temperature) for about 2 weeks or until fermentation is over. Then it can be raised to 60-65 degrees for 48 hours before racking the beer and beginning lagering. I like to lager at 34 degrees for 8-12 weeks. That's a low but good temperature for beer ready to drink, so it can "coexist" in the fridge with your drinking beer too at that point.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I wouldn't be worried about the fermentor not being cold enough, but your kegged beer wouldn't be cold enough if you're doing primary fermentation in the fridge.

When you have a lager in primary, usually it's around 50F. After 3-4 weeks, you do a d-rest (optional) and slowly lower the temps to around 36F. The time at 36F is what's called lagering, so you'll be fine with doing double duty at this point.

I'd suggest getting a second fridge or finding a way to keep the temps at 50F for primary while not using the fridge.

If you don't already have a temp controller, get one. They come in very handy and make life easier when lagering.

 

[Mose]

Jumping in with a First Lager question myself.

I've read about pitch rates and pitching temps, built a starter 2.5 times the normal 2pints to 1/2 cup DME and will step it up tonight agian.

HOW do you cool to pitch temps. My tap water is hovering around 75-80. My plan is to cool with tap then switch to recirculating ice water. If that doesn't do it I'll put it in my ferm chamber at 50* and pitch in the morning after it finishes cooling.

Any thoughts? Is that how you do you yours, or do you just put in the ferm chamber and wait until morning. Thanks.

 

[dRaPP]

Hey Mose, unfortunately I can't answer any of your questions as I have never done a lager before. But I noticed you had a Smithwicks Clone and was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing that recipe. Is it an extract recipe?

 

[azscoob]

Mose, I use an immersion chiller and a cheap pond pump, I use a cooler with 40-50# of ice and enough water to fill the cooler, I pump the ice water through the chiller, draining until it gets below 90°, then I recirc the water back into the cooler, this works very fast and lets me get down into the upper 40's if I am brewing a lager.

 

[Mose]

Mose, I use an immersion chiller and a cheap pond pump, I use a cooler with 40-50# of ice and enough water to fill the cooler, I pump the ice water through the chiller, draining until it gets below 90°, then I recirc the water back into the cooler, this works very fast and lets me get down into the upper 40's if I am brewing a lager.

If you can do it in AZ I should hope I can get it done in VA. My pond pump has been dying out on me lately and getting pretty weak flow. I'll have to see if I can breath life into her or rig up one of my Little Giants that is sitting in a box waiting for the big build. Thanks.

 

[azscoob]

I use a cheapie 170GPH pond pump from Lowe's, it works great and only set me back 27 dollars

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Go on ebay for pond pumps. I found one for 10 bucks that works great for chilling. I also use a 50' immersion chiller. I do the same thing as Mose. I can cool 10 gallons of 200 degree wort to 55-60 in about 20-25 minutes. I don't use quite 40-50# of ice though. I think I use 2-15lb bags.

 

[Yooper]

I have cold tap water, so I don't have any issues chilling to pitching temp.

I would revisit the size of the starter, though. 2.5 times a small starter just doesn't seem like enough yeast. Consult mrmalty.com (http://www.mrmalty.com/) and look at the "yeast pitching calculator" to see the size of the starter you should use. I think you'll be surprised.

 

[Mose]

I have cold tap water, so I don't have any issues chilling to pitching temp.

I would revisit the size of the starter, though. 2.5 times a small starter just doesn't seem like enough yeast. Consult mrmalty.com (http://www.mrmalty.com/) and look at the "yeast pitching calculator" to see the size of the starter you should use. I think you'll be surprised.

Holy mary mother of lack of yeast! By that calculator I need nearly a gallon of starter 3.44 liters. I have a less than a half gallon now. I'll have to do some reading on how to step it up tonight. I plan to brew Sat night, I guess I won't bother cooling with the IC past my tap water and let it cool in the chamber overnight to let the starter produce more.

Do you cold crash decant and dump the slury when you need a starter that big?

Can I toss a couple packs of dry yeast in there to help out? I'm using White Labs 820 Oktoberfest Lager yeast.

I guess it's time to get a stir bar and get cracking on that Stir plate.

Thanks

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Holy mary mother of lack of yeast! By that calculator I need nearly a gallon of starter 3.44 liters. I have a less than a half gallon now. I'll have to do some reading on how to step it up tonight. I plan to brew Sat night, I guess I won't bother cooling with the IC past my tap water and let it cool in the chamber overnight to let the starter produce more.

Do you cold crash decant and dump the slury when you need a starter that big?

Can I toss a couple packs of dry yeast in there to help out? I'm using White Labs 820 Oktoberfest Lager yeast.

I guess it's time to get a stir bar and get cracking on that Stir plate.

Thanks

Yes, you can use multiple packs of yeast and it should take the size of your starter down a bit. I cool, decant, and pitch.