bottling lagers

[smarek82]

This is my first time doing a lager.

What is the most efficient technique used to bottle condition lagers?

I have a lager that just finished primary fermenting and is now on a diacetyl rest until tomorrow. I don't know whether I should bottle it tomorrow and lager or should I transfer to secondary carboy, lager, then bottle?

Any help or explaining your techniques would be great! Thanks

 

[Revvy]

I lave my lagers in primary for a month, then do a d rest, and rack to secondary and lager it for at least a month.

Then I bottle condition my lagers just like my ales...3 weeks at 70 minimum for average gravity beers.

That's it.

 

[Yooper]

My technique is similar to Revvy's. I do the primary ferment until 75% of the FG is reached, then taste/check for diacetyl. If there is any hint of diacetyl present (an oily mouthfeel, a slickness on the tongue, or a taste of butter), then I do a diacetyl rest. Primary usually lasts about 10-14 days. Then if I'm doing a diacetyl rest, I raise the temperature 10 degrees until the diacetyl is gone. Immediately after the diacetyl rest, or after primary if no diacetyl rest is needed, the beer is racked and then lagered for 6-8 weeks at 34 degrees. To begin the lagering process, I drop the temperature of the secondary approximately 5 degrees per day until I'm at 34 degrees.

The beer is lagered for approximately 1 week of each 10 points of OG. So, for a 1.070 OG lager, I lager for approximately 7 weeks. Then, the beer is bottled.

Once bottled, the beer is stored at room temperature until it carbs up. If I have an ultra clear lager, and I'm bottling, I will often add a 1/4-1/2 package of neutral ale yeast to the cooled priming solution to ensure enough yeast for carbonation.

 

[smarek82]

Good deal, so after the lagering process I would want to let it raise to carbing temp ~70 degF and condition accordingly at that temp?

I was not sure whether you have to let the yeast work in the same temp for carbonation as you did for fermentation.

If you don't mind answering this question...Why do you drop the temp incrementally? I do not have the means, Is it ok if it is lagered in a cold refrig(temp is 37degF)?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Yooper]

Good deal, so after the lagering process I would want to let it raise to carbing temp ~70 degF and condition accordingly at that temp?

I was not sure whether you have to let the yeast work in the same temp for carbonation as you did for fermentation.

If you don't mind answering this question...Why do you drop the temp incrementally? I do not have the means, Is it ok if it is lagered in a cold refrig(temp is 37degF)?

Thanks again for your help.

Dropping the temperature is a holdover from old brewing techniques- the story is that the yeast will still be working a bit so you don't want to shock it into flocculating out. However, Kaiser's papers show that it really isn't the case and you'd be fine to drop it more suddenly.