Lagers can be a PITA

[MHBT]

Sometimes you brew a lager and its awesome and other times(which seems is more often for me) they are nasty,buttery wine like swill..I just racked my lager to keg it is horrible...Dont even feel like tying up the fridge to lager this thing cause i know in 2-3 months its not gonna be worth it..anyone ever make vinegar with a failed batch?..i hate dumping and if i can turn this into something just so i dont have to dump it i will feel less SH$$$

 

[CRZ]

You should really find out why your lagers aren't turning out. Maybe give in full detail on how you brew a batch.
It sounds yeast related to me but not sure without more detail.

 

[MHBT]

You should really find out why your lagers aren't turning out. Maybe give in full detail on how you brew a batch.
It sounds yeast related to me but not sure without more detail.

I follow popular procedure with lagers..pitch a giant starter cold at 45F let it free rise to 50F hold it there until the krausen starts to drop(about day 8-9) then let the temps rise up to 60F leave it for 72+ hours..then slowly lower about 2-3 degrees a day..i pitched a crazy starter for this batch probably close to 900+ billion cells according to the yeast calculator into a 1052 wort, oxygenated for 90 seconds with pure o2..anyway i have had this flavor before and it does not go away no matter how long the beer sits...oh well

 

[CRZ]

It sounds like Diacetyl. Did you take a sg reading before your ramp up for Diacetyl? Sounds like your big starter burned through the fermentation and didn't get to clean up properly.
What yeast were you using? Do you always use the same yeast or change it up? If you change it up does this happen with other yeasts?
I always use a liquid Bohemian lager yeast now made by wyeast. Since I started with this yeast I didn't have a off taste Lager yet.

 

[MHBT]

It sounds like Diacetyl. Did you take a sg reading before your ramp up for Diacetyl? Sounds like your big starter burned through the fermentation and didn't get to clean up properly.
What yeast were you using? Do you always use the same yeast or change it up? If you change it up does this happen with other yeasts?
I always use a liquid Bohemian lager yeast now made by wyeast. Since I started with this yeast I didn't have a off taste Lager yet.

I have a extra pack of wlp830 in the fridge was thinking of making a starter and when its active pitch it into the keg to help clean it up..well thanks for chiming it..but im gonna chalk it up as a failure and gear up for the next batch..cheers

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Arent you supposed to bring it up to around 75 for a diacytl rest?
That might be your butter issue

 

[ba-brewer]

Buttery and wine sounds like diacetyl, which yeast did you use, is it a strain that is known to produce diacetyl?

I like to drive the yeast by bumping the temp a few degrees every couple days as the fermentation progresses. I think it is better to keep the yeast active than to try and revive it once it falls it out.

My first couple lagers turned out not so good and I cant but help think it was partially due to O2 suck back during crashing/lagering. I now just rack to a keg after a diacetyl rest and start carbing and lagering at the same time.

 

[MHBT]

I used wlp830 german lager..yeah def diacetyl cause i heated a sample up and BOOM movie theatre popcorn..im gonna make a liter starter wlp830 and when its active im gonna add it to the keg..its my only shot to salvage it..thanks everyone cheers

 

[ba-brewer]

Arent you supposed to bring it up to around 75 for a diacytl rest?
That might be your butter issue

There are multiple ways to deal with diacetyl there some charts in this link outline the approaches to lager fermentations.

http://www.braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Fermenting_Lagers

I usually ferment starting at 50F and ease up to 56F over about a week until just about to target attenuation then bump to 61F for a few day diacetyl rest. So far no diacetyl with this process.

 

[CRZ]

I use the Lager quick method with excellent results.
Quick Lager Method *UPDATED*
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=518132
Once you find a good technique that the yeast in use likes you're set.
Like Ba-brewer I keg right after diacetyl rest also. Well after a 2 day ramp down.
From start to keg in around 10 days.