Accidentally bought a lager kit

DrummerBoySeth · Oct 1, 2012

Quyzi said:
Just recalled that I've got my old plastic bucket primary. Should be fine using that as a secondary in my fridge.

A carboy would be better. Normally I do not worry about the headspace in a bucket for short secondarys (a couple weeks), but excessive headspace and oxidation could become a concern over a long lagering period.

Can you pick up another carboy or better bottle for secondarying this brew?

Quyzi · Oct 1, 2012

DrummerBoySeth said:
A carboy would be better. Normally I do not worry about the headspace in a bucket for short secondarys (a couple weeks), but excessive headspace and oxidation could become a concern over a long lagering period.

Can you pick up another carboy or better bottle for secondarying this brew?

I could. My lhbs isn't exactly local. Something of a half hour drive either way. The area has a tendency to make peopleofwalmart.com look like the playboy mansion. The only things I can come up with are to leave it in the primary through lagering, or using the bucket as a secondary.

Yooper · Oct 1, 2012

Quyzi said:
Just recalled that I've got my old plastic bucket primary. Should be fine using that as a secondary in my fridge.

I'd either skip the lagering then, and do it in the bottle, or get a carboy. Headspace is the death of a good beer, especially if in the bucket a long time.

If you read the threads on the forum, "is this infected?", it's ALWAYS a beer in secondary and/or one with lots of headspace! I would not risk it. I'd either get a 5 gallon carboy, or bottle and then lager in the bottles.

Quyzi · Oct 2, 2012

Yooper said:
I'd either skip the lagering then, and do it in the bottle, or get a carboy. Headspace is the death of a good beer, especially if in the bucket a long time.

If you read the threads on the forum, "is this infected?", it's ALWAYS a beer in secondary and/or one with lots of headspace! I would not risk it. I'd either get a 5 gallon carboy, or bottle and then lager in the bottles.

By lager in the bottles, you mean storing them really cold for a few weeks, yes? That is entirely doable. I'll look into getting a BB for my next lager. I've read too many horror stories about glass carboys to buy another.

Thank you again, Yooper. You are an endless font of information! :mug:

Quyzi · Oct 3, 2012

Since I plan on lagering in the bottles, what is the best way to achieve diacetyl rest? A buttery lager is not what I'm aiming for.

Quyzi · Nov 6, 2012

I let it sit and lager for a while. I wound up getting a 5 1/2 gallon carboy for it and transferred it. Very little airspace above the beer. That was a few weeks ago, now it's in bottles. I opened the "**** bottle", the one that wasn't completely filled and had some of the big chunks of trub that worked its way into the bottling bucket. It was delicious, despite the chunks and the lack of good carbonation. I need to let it sit for a while and age appropriately. Very clean, crisp, delicious, satisfying beer. One of the best ones I've brewed so far. Has a nice dark color and smells amazing in a glass. Wouldn't have made it this good without you guys help. Thank you!