Traditional lager practices not really necessary

[gspot]

Just kegged a Maibock after four weeks in the primary and I'm amazed at how good it is already.

I have always followed a standard practice of 3-4 weeks in the primary at 52, followed by a short diacetyl rest of 3-5 days, then kegging and lagering for a couple months. This time however I used a modified quick ferment regime similar to the Brulosopher: one week at 50, one week at 64, two weeks at 35 (ramped down slowly over the first 5 of those days). Then kegged, for a total of four weeks in the fermenter. I used 2206, Bavarian Lager yeast.

Now, I'm not saying the beer won't continue to improve and clear with time in the kegerator, as I'm sure it will, and I'm sure the traditionalists aren't going to like this post, but the days of taking 3 months to produce a lager for me are over. The beer was so good that I drank two liters this weekend. I look forward to seeing how it changes over time. If it gets better, it ought to be really remarkable when May arrives.

 

[RM-MN]

You're a heretic for even suggesting that the old ways aren't better.....congratulations of breaking away from the old ways and getting good beer.

 

[ncbrewer]

There's a Brulosophy exbeeriment that goes even farther - higher temperatures: http://brulosophy.com/2016/02/08/fe...ager-yeast-saflager-3470-exbeeriment-results/

 

[iijakii]

I just brewed a helles that was at TG by day 4, then I gave it a couple day d-rest and kegged it, will do lagering there. I sampled it at day 10 and it was already delicious. I'm trying to hold off until the month mark though.

Edit: Mine wasnt even fast lager method, just a healthy slurry pitch that dunked it out quick.

 

[specharka]

The question is not "will it taste good" but when does the lager achieve peak flavor. I brewed a doppelbock with the fast lager method, came to terminal gravity within 14 days, but it wasn't mature for another 8-10 weeks. I've got a weizenbock fermenting with WY2633 and I'm guessing it's going to take just as long to get there. I think the fast lager method is great for ensuring attenuation, but it doesn't do anything to expedite precipitation of sediment.

 

[joshesmusica]

The question is not "will it taste good" but when does the lager achieve peak flavor. I brewed a doppelbock with the fast lager method, came to terminal gravity within 14 days, but it wasn't mature for another 8-10 weeks. I've got a weizenbock fermenting with WY2633 and I'm guessing it's going to take just as long to get there. I think the fast lager method is great for ensuring attenuation, but it doesn't do anything to expedite precipitation of sediment.

I think a lot of people would disagree with you if they're cold crashing and using gelatin or some kind of clearing agent.

And waiting a month or more to do a diacetyl rest doesn't even really make any sense. By that time so much of the yeast has gone dormant that it will take longer for them to clean it up. Do the d-rest as the majority of the yeast are finishing up the beer, and it will clean up much faster.

Now if you're going for something like a bock or anything that's meant to be a little more malt-forward than the typical clean-malt flavor of a lot of lagers, then I could see a little aging could help. But the same goes for a lot of bigger, malt-forward ales as well. So it's not really about the yeast at that point, necessarily.

 

[gspot]

True, and in all fairness, mine isn't as clear as it will be in several weeks. I'm also sure it will taste even better later on. Just saying it's already pretty darn good, and people don't need to shy away from brewing a lager because of the time commitment or tying up a fermentor for so long or whatever time-related reason they may have. I leave my ales in the primary for 3 weeks, and producing a good, drinkable lager in 4 is pretty comparable imo. I think that temp control is more of a controlling factor rather than time, although I remember seeing recently another xbeeriment where they couldn't tell a difference between two lagers, one fermented cold and one warmer than normal! What the hell is the world coming to?!?

 

[TheBigLebrewsk1]

In addition to http://www.brulosophy.com add http://www.braukaiser.com and http://www.themadfermentationist.com to your reading list and you will find most of the dogma spread on this forum to be antiquated at best.

 

[Iseneye]

I brew lagers 5% ABV and below. I don't do four weeks in primary. Generally for me 3 weeks is more than enough then crash cool into kegerator. I do find that it is nice and drinkable after 2-3 weeks in keg but it gets a cleaner flavour as time goes by. Based on my experience the lagering component does have an effect.