Low OG

Brewed my first lager today. Pilsner Urquell Clone. Only one mistake so far! Overfilled the airlock with vodka and some went into the wort. Should be ok right! It was grey goose

My OG came to 1.042. Kit says OG should be 1.047. Nothing to worry about? Or do I need to take into account the temp? Took sample and Pitched at 58 F...

 

1. No problem with a little grey goose.
2. 1.042 vs. 1.047 ? Again no biggee. Probably just a little difference in volume.
3. But.... depending on what yeast you're using, that 58 might be a bit high. If you're using a lager yeast, you may want to chill her down to upper 40's low 50s.

 

Ok... new problem. As of this post it has been 72 hours and so signs of fermentation. I used wyeast Czech Pilsner and made a starter 24 hours beforehand. Decanted off the top liquid from the starter and poured the yeast in.

Should I let her ride or run across town and see if the LHBS has some dry Saflager? I know they won’t have the Czech Wyeast...

 

3rd choice: check the SG. She may have fermented without you noticing. If the SG hasn't budged, then yes I'd pitch a packet of 34/70.

 

Well I grabbed some 34/70 and when I opened the bucket lid, there is a Krausen! So either my lid doesn’t seal all the way or this is such a slow fermenting beer that it it’s taking forever? Also, I moved it inside last night to about 62 F to see if that would make a difference. Should I move it back to the garage where it is 50 F?

Or should I throw in the pack of 34/70 since I paid for it anyway??

 

For next time: You can check for kraeusen by darkening the room and setting a flashlight on the lid aiming down. You can see it thru the side of the bucket.

 

The yeast you already pitched is working. Save the new yeast for another batch.

 

Alrighty. I switched out lids and it is sealed much better and bubbling good. Krausen looks good and bubbles are coming up through it. Boy does it stank! Sulphur/Fart smell. Is this a lager thing for it to smell?

 

Yep, that's why we suggest that seeing bubbles is not a good indication of fermentation....leaky lids on buckets are very common.

 

I think the stink is probably dependent on the yeast variety and it also may depend on the yeast health and pitch rate. It gets mentioned occasionally.

 

I wouldn’t drop the temperature at this point. Straight 50° and raise a few degrees at the end would be the best but lowering temperature at this point in fermentation can slow the yeast down and make them go dormant and not finish. Especially if you do it quickly

 

My lager fermentation profile is to ferment low (50ish) for 2 weeks, raise to 65 over 2 days, then ramp down to 34 over the next 2 weeks. I have done a few this way and they were very good. Some will then keep it at "lager" (just above freezing) temperature for a month or more.

 

Well at the end of two weeks I raised the temp into the low to mid 60's for two days and then racked to secondary. Took a gravity sample at this time and ABV seems to be pretty spot on. I tasted the gravity sample and it tastes really bad,
like metallic and sour. I didn't see any signs of infection, and used a ceramic coated pot to boil in, so I am not sure what the bad taste is. I now have it in a glass carboy in a temp controlled fridge, slowly lowering from 50 F down. Right now it is at 42. Planning on going down to 35ish over the course of 40 days.