bottle conditioning a lager.

[colbystephens]

so i just bottled my first lager. should i store it at lager temps for the bottling process, or does it matter once you get to this point? Thanks!

 

[COLObrewer]

Colder temperature will cause longer carbonation period. Depends on how soon you want to drink it, also depends how long you lagered it before bottling, and at what temp, your method of carbonation, etc. If you feel the conditioning was long enough prior to bottling, you can leave it at room temp (assuming you primed it) for 3 weeks then chill and drink. If you didn't prime it then wait a year or so.

 

[colbystephens]

it lagered at about 50*, and now all the bottles are at about that same temp. i did prime it, so I suppose i'm fine like it is now. thanks.

 

[Revvy]

You can just treat yu lager in the bottle like and ale at this stage and let it carb at 3 weeks-ish @ 70 degrees...if you carb it colder than that you can bet one extra weeks if not months til it is ready.

 

[Yooper]

it lagered at about 50*, and now all the bottles are at about that same temp. i did prime it, so I suppose i'm fine like it is now. thanks.

You didn't lager it at 50 degrees- I'm assuming that the fermentation took place at 50 degrees. That's a perfect temperature for fermentation for most lager yeast strains.

Lagering is a long period of cold storing (near freezing). If the beer is fermented out and bottled, then I'd leave it at room temperature to carb up, then lager the bottles for the lagering period.

I think it was Menschmachine who suggested lagering one week for each 10 points of OG, and I've been sort of following that. That is, for a 1.060 OG beer, lagering for 6 weeks. For a 1.080 beer, lagering 8 weeks. Most of my lagers are in the lagering chamber for about 8 weeks at 34 degrees. I don't bottle until after the lagering period, as I lager in the carboy, but you can lager in the bottle now that you have the beer bottled.

 

[colbystephens]

You didn't lager it at 50 degrees- I'm assuming that the fermentation took place at 50 degrees. That's a perfect temperature for fermentation for most lager yeast strains.

Lagering is a long period of cold storing (near freezing). If the beer is fermented out and bottled, then I'd leave it at room temperature to carb up, then lager the bottles for the lagering period.

I think it was Menschmachine who suggested lagering one week for each 10 points of OG, and I've been sort of following that. That is, for a 1.060 OG beer, lagering for 6 weeks. For a 1.080 beer, lagering 8 weeks. Most of my lagers are in the lagering chamber for about 8 weeks at 34 degrees. I don't bottle until after the lagering period, as I lager in the carboy, but you can lager in the bottle now that you have the beer bottled.

thanks for the info there. can you tell me why you would lager something in addition to normal fermenting/bottle conditioning?

 

[Revvy]

thanks for the info there. can you tell me why you would lager something in addition to normal fermenting/bottle conditioning?

Lager yeast are prone to the production of a lot of byproducts, the most familiar one is sulphur compounds (rhino farts) but in the dark cold of the lagering process, which is at the minimum of a month (I think many homebrewers don't lager long enough) the yeast slowly consumes all those compounds which results in extremely clean tasting beers if done skillfully.

 

[Yooper]

thanks for the info there. can you tell me why you would lager something in addition to normal fermenting/bottle conditioning?

The short answer is because the long cold period gives lagers that "clean" and "crisp" texture and flavor they are known for. http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter19-1.html

Lagering a lager is an integral part of the process.