Bottling Lagering and a few other questions

[Immocles]

Hey folks,
As the temperature in my basement begins to dip, I'm looking to slowly dip my toe into the lagering pool. While this won't be a traditional lager by any means, it's a bit of a practice run? I formulated a recipe that seems like it would be somewhere in between an Oktoberfest and an altbier. I plan on using Wyeast 1009 at ~60F, bottling/carbing, and then lagering in the fridge for about a month (to be ready by Christmas/NYE). I basically just want to see if I'm on the right path, or careening off a cliff.

First up, Grain bill/hops:
I'm looking for something darker, maltier. Oktoberfest-ish taste, maybe a bit more hoppy. I stole the base of the hop schedule, and some ingredients off a recipe here, Oktoberfast Ale, but started adding/subtracting and who knows where I end up now...

2.75G Batch
2lb Pilsner 37%
2lb Vienna 37%
1lb Dark Munich 18.5%
6oz Carahell 7%
.5oz pale chocolate .5%

.5oz Tettnang 60
.25oz Tettnang 45m
.25oz Tettnang 30m
1oz Saaz 15m

Mashing at ~151, stovetop biab

Anything glaringly a problem? I can't add to any of the three base malts, as its all I have of each. Chocolate is for color, mostly. I can, however, shift around the hops a bit, but these would be the only hops for this style I have around except for an ounce of styrian aurora. Although I kind of have that earmarked for a different brew for later this winter.

Fermentation:
To start with, I know this isn't a lager yeast, but I've searched and found that folks have found lagering periods beneficial with this strain.

WYeast 1009. Ferment at 60 for about 10-14days, raise up to about 65-67 for a couple days.

Seems pretty standard to what I've googled and read, but any tips/tricks are welcome. I've never used this yeast before.

Post Fermentation:
This is where I get a bit fuzzy. The only "lagering" I've ever done was last February on a kolsch (2565), and all I did was leave it sit in the basement in primary for about 4 and a half weeks after fermentation. Temps were probably low 40s.
I've read in various threads here that lagering in the bottle is possible, but is there any special instructions I should be aware of? Or is it literally just bottle and prime as normal. Carb up for 3 weeks, then into the fridge for 4-5 weeks.

I feel like I'm forgetting about half of the concerns that I originally had, but mainly wondering if this is a good plan of attack? I'm still pretty new here, and this feels like a bigger step, I guess. I mean, I know it'll make beer, but whether or not its tasty is the main determination. If the bottle lagering works well, I'd be able to brew more of my favorite styles than what I'm able to with ales, and I'd start using more traditional lager yeasts.


Thanks for any and all input, I've greatly appreciated all the help I've found here in the past. Sorry this post got a bit longer than I expected...

 

[Nubiwan]

@Immocles Had the same question you had two years ago. Surprised nobody responded. How did you make out with bottle conditioning your lager? I dont have kegs, so trying to decide between lagering in primary, or in the bottle. So much easier to just bottle. Perhaps cold crash a few days to clear it a little. Any thoughts?

 

[Immocles]

I’ve since started using lager yeasts to ferment, but mostly keep that same lager-in-bottle process. Generally ferment cold ~3 weeks, bottle/prime at room temp, test a bottle for carbonation and then toss them in the fridge (or back down in the basement, depending on how cold it is). I ramp up to about 65 for a d rest for around a week, then slowly bring back down to low 50s. The beer is pretty damn clear when I bottle. It’s probably a clunky procedure, but it’s working well for me.

 

[Pappers_]

I don't see the difference in lagering in bottles vs. lagering in kegs, which I do all the time. The timeline for me, using a lager strain of yeast, is usually about two weeks at 50F, one week at 65F to d rest (although its usually not necessary if you pitched lots of healthy yeast) and to encourage the final little bit of attenuation, then transfer to keg and add finings, put the keg in a fridge at 34F for a week, then draw off the trub at the bottom and put on the gas to carbonate, again at 34F. After a couple more weeks, I test the carbonation. Basically, the keg stays in cold, lagering temps until its empty, lagering all the time.

 

[JPDosey]

I would suggest a different yeast...like an actual german lager yeast..On the wyeast website...WY1009 is a german ale yeast

 

[Immocles]

Eh, This was more of a dipping of the toe into the lager scene. I was looking for a more forgiving yeast that would still give me a 'lager feel'. I didn't want to ferment warm and I wasn't sure I could get cold enough in the basement for a true lager strain. (Notes show that I fermented the entire time at 58-60, without the ramp up in temperature) It worked out really well, and gave me the results I was looking for. As I said in my earlier post, I have since moved onto using lager yeasts, but I keep the same bottling lagering process.

I don't see the difference in lagering in bottles vs. lagering in kegs, which I do all the time.

Thats the conclusion I have reached as well. Maybe someday I'll have those fancy kegs, though.