Making my first Lager: Recipe and process help

[ScroatesMcGoats]

Hey guys, after about 10 ales under my belt, I want to give a lager a go in time for the spring. I have a dedicated mini fridge that fits my bucket and carboy, so should have temperature control figured out. I need a little help on the process, as I have seen multiple bits of advice on lagering and how long and how cold to go. I am shooting for an IPL, so first let me start with the recipe I have concocted to see if there is any feedback on that first:

5 Gallon Batch:

Fermentables:
7lbs Golden Light DME

Steeping grains:
1lb American 2-row
1lb Crisp Pale Ale

Hop additions:
1.5 oz Denali -60min
1.5 oz US Fuggle -20 min
.5 oz Denali - 20 min
1 oz Palisade - 5 min
.5 oz US Fuggle 0 min

Yeast: Omega Yeast Lager 1

So the plan was to primary in the bucket at 50ish degrees until fermentation completes, and then move to the carboy and lager for 4 additional weeks, each week dropping the temp a couple of degrees.

Anyone see any problems with the recipe/process? Like I said, first lager and nothing would be worse than waiting 6-8 weeks and have the beer suck/go bad.

Thanks

 

[Yooper]

I've never made a beer with that hop combination, so I can't comment on the recipe but the fermentation schedule sounds ok. I often drop the temperature much faster- since ideally you want to be at or around 33 degrees, just dropping the temperature a couple of degrees a week would mean ages just to get to lagering temperatures. There is no reason to drop the temperature that slowly unless you just can't do it quicker.

 

[WestMichBrewer]

Hey guys, after about 10 ales under my belt, I want to give a lager a go in time for the spring. I have a dedicated mini fridge that fits my bucket and carboy, so should have temperature control figured out. I need a little help on the process, as I have seen multiple bits of advice on lagering and how long and how cold to go. I am shooting for an IPL, so first let me start with the recipe I have concocted to see if there is any feedback on that first:

5 Gallon Batch:

Fermentables:
7lbs Golden Light DME

Steeping grains:
1lb American 2-row
1lb Crisp Pale Ale

Hop additions:
1.5 oz Denali -60min
1.5 oz US Fuggle -20 min
.5 oz Denali - 20 min
1 oz Palisade - 5 min
.5 oz US Fuggle 0 min

Yeast: Omega Yeast Lager 1

So the plan was to primary in the bucket at 50ish degrees until fermentation completes, and then move to the carboy and lager for 4 additional weeks, each week dropping the temp a couple of degrees.

Anyone see any problems with the recipe/process? Like I said, first lager and nothing would be worse than waiting 6-8 weeks and have the beer suck/go bad.

Thanks

I am not familiar with these hops so won't comment on them.
I will say, if you haven't already, check out an online recipe calculator tool like Brewer's Friend or BrewToad. There are free trial versions that will allow you to enter and adjust these items to see the outcome on the stats of the beer.

Now the "Steeping grains" you've chosen are going to be a problem because these grains actually have to be *mashed* to get results. These two are "base grains" and typically are used for the bulk of the fermentable sugur in an all-grain recipe. For the most part you can only steep carmel/crystal malts.
For a light lager you might go with some "carapils" or "carmel/crystal 10" to add a bit of character, but I think your chosen DME already has some in it.

Hope this helps!

 

[RM-MN]

Hey guys, after about 10 ales under my belt, I want to give a lager a go in time for the spring. I have a dedicated mini fridge that fits my bucket and carboy, so should have temperature control figured out. I need a little help on the process, as I have seen multiple bits of advice on lagering and how long and how cold to go. I am shooting for an IPL, so first let me start with the recipe I have concocted to see if there is any feedback on that first:

5 Gallon Batch:

Fermentables:
7lbs Golden Light DME

Steeping grains:
1lb American 2-row
1lb Crisp Pale Ale

Hop additions:
1.5 oz Denali -60min
1.5 oz US Fuggle -20 min
.5 oz Denali - 20 min
1 oz Palisade - 5 min
.5 oz US Fuggle 0 min

Yeast: Omega Yeast Lager 1

So the plan was to primary in the bucket at 50ish degrees until fermentation completes, and then move to the carboy and lager for 4 additional weeks, each week dropping the temp a couple of degrees.

Anyone see any problems with the recipe/process? Like I said, first lager and nothing would be worse than waiting 6-8 weeks and have the beer suck/go bad.

Thanks

As mentioned the two grains you list for steeping require mashing. They won't add much that a little more DME would.

From what I've read the typical lager goes through 3 steps, the fermentation, diacetyl rest, lagering. You should read up a bit on diacetyl and when and why to do a diacetyl rest.

 

[EagleScout]

I used Brewer's Friend's pitch rate calculator and the lagering schedule I found on Homebrew Talk and my first lager turned out great.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/lagering-101-need-know-making-lagers.html

Because it was my first lager I started with the European Pilsner extract kit from Midwest, I didn't want to have to worry about anything other than the process for my first. Took so much longer than the ales I had made before I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue making lagers but it turned out so good, most of my favorite beers are lagers, that I have 2 planned for parties this year.

 

[Steveruch]

Now the "Steeping grains" you've chosen are going to be a problem because these grains actually have to be *mashed* to get results. These two are "base grains" and typically are used for the bulk of the fermentable sugur in an all-grain recipe. For the most part you can only steep carmel/crystal malts.
For a light lager you might go with some "carapils" or "carmel/crystal 10" to add a bit of character, but I think your chosen DME already has some in it.
Hope this helps!

"Steeping" those grains at 152f for 30 to 45 minutes would give the same results as "mashing" them.

 

[VTX1300]

I am doing my first lager right now too. Everything I have read said to do a d-rest when fermentation is approximately 75% complete. Raise the temp about 10 degrees for a few days. Then begin lowering to laggering temps. I would drop about 2 degrees every 8 hours. That is the rate I use when cold crashing.

 

[Steveruch]

I am doing my first lager right now too. Everything I have read said to do a d-rest when fermentation is approximately 75% complete. Raise the temp about 10 degrees for a few days. Then begin lowering to laggering temps. I would drop about 2 degrees every 8 hours. That is the rate I use when cold crashing.

First you need to determine whether you actually need a d-rest; not all yeasts need it.
I've never needed to do one.

 

[ScroatesMcGoats]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I only made one kit before making my own recipes, so good to know on the Mash only grains. I’ve used some in the past, but usually for color.

I’ll definitely use the pitch rate calculator. I’ll also research that yeast strain for d-rest.

As far as dropping temperature, how gradual should I drop the beer to the 30s? Sounds like fairly quickly.

 

[WestMichBrewer]

"Steeping" those grains at 152f for 30 to 45 minutes would give the same results as "mashing" them.

True, that would be a mash.

 

[ScroatesMcGoats]

So a follow up question. I was using a priming Sugar calculator for when I bottle in 4 weeks, and since IPL isn’t an option, I went Bavarian Helles which recommended less than half a cup of corn Sugar. Seems awfully light?

Should I be using more priming Sugar? Also, should I add a little dry ale yeast for bottle carbing? I want to make sure they carb, but I don’t want bottle bombs.

 

[WestMichBrewer]

So a follow up question. I was using a priming Sugar calculator for when I bottle in 4 weeks, and since IPL isn’t an option, I went Bavarian Helles which recommended less than half a cup of corn Sugar. Seems awfully light?

Should I be using more priming Sugar? Also, should I add a little dry ale yeast for bottle carbing? I want to make sure they carb, but I don’t want bottle bombs.

Not sure which calc you are using, but I've found they give reasonable recommendations as long as you enter the information it asks for correctly.
The "Temperature" value should be that of the beer you are going to bottle, and at that time you will bottle it.

You shouldn't need to add any more yeast unless the beer finished fermenting months ago or something. Even if you cold-crashed it there should be enough yeast left in suspension to carb your beer.

 

[ScroatesMcGoats]

I was using the northern brewer calculator.

India Pale Lager was not an option, so Bavarian Helles was the best I could think of, but the IPL is much higher in abv. Just seems strange that it would be significantly less Priming Sugar for a lager vs an ale, where a lager theoretically would have more spent yeast.

 

[WestMichBrewer]

I was using the northern brewer calculator.

India Pale Lager was not an option, so Bavarian Helles was the best I could think of, but the IPL is much higher in abv. Just seems strange that it would be significantly less Priming Sugar for a lager vs an ale, where a lager theoretically would have more spent yeast.

When you are choosing the beer style, you are choosing the carbination level associated with that style. For instance, high carbonation for a Hefe, low for a British mild. Northern Brewer's calculator shows the numeric volume of CO2 for the style too.
You can ignore the beer style and choose by CO2 volume instead if you want, using those figures as a reference. Given the same amount of added sugar and temperature of the beer at the time you prime, ale vs. lager won't matter. Just make sure you allow the primed bottles or keg to sit at room temperature for a couple weeks before chilling and serving.

Also, you mentioned not wanting bottle bombs - this comes from having too much unfermented sugar still in the beer when you bottle. For instance you add too much priming sugar, or weren't patient enough to let the regular fermenation complete before you bottled.