Should I turn the temp up?

[zacster]

I pitched my lager a week ago, after putting both the 2 Liter starter and the wort into my 45f fridge. I left it at 45 for a day, turned to 46 for another day, then 47, where it sits now for 5 days. It is still fermenting nicely. I left all of the trub behind in the first carboy after letting it settle for about 4 hours, then transferred to my twin 3 gallon Better Bottles. I was pretty careful in splitting the 2 liter starter between them, and I didn't decant the starter.

Anyway, it's a week later and was just wondering if I should just leave it as it is, or raise the temp? Or should I just go straight to a diacetyl rest after a few more days? It has been fermenting steadily all week, something I like about doing lagers. With ale at room temps sometimes the thing just explodes for a few days and dies off. Or literally explodes, like my one attempt at wheat beer. I still have the stains on the ceiling.

Yeast is 2124 Bohemian Lager, 9.5lbs 2 row, 1 lb carapils, 4oz caramunich. 4oz of Saaz at various times.

I guess taking a hydrometer reading would give me some clues, but I don't want to disturb it yet.

 

[Cyclman]

I wait until the kraeusen starts to subside, then warm it up for D rest. Lagers are slow, so no big rush for me.

 

[JimRausch]

With my lagers, I go 46-49 until activity slows and krausen drops(usually 5-7 days) then kick her up to upper 50's, maybe even 60 for another 3-4 days. I then take an SG, and if I'm good(and when I have the time) rack to a carboy for lagering.

 

[zacster]

I set it up a degree, I'll do another tomw and see what happens. I'm hoping to have it in the keg by this weekend to lager and carbonate.

This is my "Marathon Madness Lager" that needs to be ready to drink on November 7th!

 

[zacster]

I actually set up the temp 2 degrees yesterday to 49, and now this morning it is more active again. I guess the answer to my own question is yes. I'll take a reading once the bubbling stops.

It is good to experiment, but without any control samples, I can't really draw any conclusions. In the end I'll have some good pilsner and whether the temp settings make any difference I'll never know.

I'm NOT the one doing the NYC Marathon, that would be my wife. I'm just the brewmeister and any excuse to brew and drink beer is a good one.

 

[zacster]

So I took a reading on Thursday, day 10, and it came in at 1.016, and tasted a bit sweet. OG was 1.054. I decided it was time for the D-rest so I turned the temp up to 60. Fermentation took off again. Today, Saturday, I took another reading and it was at 1.006, and this time it tasted bone dry as you may expect. No diacetyl that I could detect, but I don't seem to be sensitive to it. I think it is time for cold crashing.

Anybody on the board running the marathon on Nov 6th is welcome to try it, but ya gotta come to Brooklyn!