Ocotoberfest Diacetyl rest?

[nyrangers955]

PLEEEAASEEE HELP...

I'm brewing a Munich Helles Lager with a WL South German Lager yeast. Pitched warm, brought temps down to 52 started fermenting 9 days ago. Original gravity was 1.053. I check today and my gravity is 1.022 at 52 degrees.

This is only my 2nd lager and was planning on doing a Diacetyl rest. Screwed the first one up. Dont want to do that again!!!

Do you think i should start it when it hits 1.020?

Im still seeing alot of activity in the fermenter and hesitant to start.

What does everyone think...?

 

[osagedr]

I think pitching warm is a mistake but can help offset the effects of underpitching.

I think you should immediately take your fermenter to room temperature to start your d-rest. Leave it there for a week then (once verifying FG has been reached), rack it to a secondary or keg and lager it for seven weeks.

 

[CastleHollow]

I generally start my diacetyl rest when I am about 5 points away from my target FG. If you were planning on doing it at 1.020, 1.022 would be close enough for me. WLP838 is typically low in diacetyl anyway, so you're probably safe even if you miss your target by a few days. Diacetyl will clear up during lagering as well, it will just take longer.

 

[nyrangers955]

I didnt pitch warm (like 70s but more like low 60s). I'm going to warm it up for Diacetyl rest...

Thanks for the quick response!

 

[Darwin18]

I didnt pitch warm (like 70s but more like low 60s)

If you want to reduce potential off-flavors consider pitching at or slightly below (about 5 degrees F) below fermentation temperatures. If you are fermenting at 50F that would mean pitching your yeast at 45F - 50F. Pitching at like 70s but more like 60s (?) is pitching warm. Simple things like this will go a long way to improving your lagers.

 

[nyrangers955]

Thanks Darwin18. I'll try this next time.

 

[nyrangers955]

UPDATE...

Did my diacetyl on 9/5 at gravity 1.021. Check the reading on 9/9 since activity slowed down. The gravity reading was 1.016. Checked again today (9/12)and its 1.016. Im going to rack into a secondary. Going to lager for 7-8 weeks at 32 if possible. Dropping temps 5 degrees per day. No activity in the carboy at all.

Does everyone agree it is done? Im making a munich helles lager (og: 1.053) (fg: 1.012-1.014). Smells and looks good. Pitched 2 vials of yeast instead of doing a starter.

 

[osagedr]

Sounds like your Oktoberfest is done.

I would have pitched around 375-400 billion cells into 5.25 gallons of 1.053 Helles.