Brülosopher Fast Lager Method???

[Allekornbrauer]

Hello I know what the Fast lager method is you ferment your lager to 50% of what your Final Gravity is. So my question is when should one start taking hydrometer sample to determine where the 50% is?

 

[TooManyTacos]

To properly do the fast lager method, start measuring once the krausen drops, and take readings daily until 50% attenuation has been reached. However, I would recommend simply fermenting your lagers in the low to mid 60's. I pitch my lagers at 60, ferment at 66, and I have had wonderful lager beers that have fermented next to ales without any problem or off flavors(that I can detect). Try one, and you'll be hooked. Guys at my local Homebrew club couldn't believe that the Vienna lager that I brought was feremented at 66.

 

[mongoose33]

Hello I know what the Fast lager method is you ferment your lager to 50% of what your Final Gravity is. So my question is when should one start taking hydrometer sample to determine where the 50% is?

If you've ever done a lager, then you should have some idea when fermentation is mostly complete. That'll be just about when the krausen falls.

So back up 50 percent of that time, plus a little bit, and see where you're at.

FWIW, there's nothing holy about hitting exactly 50 percent. You'd get great beer if you overshot a bit. In other words, you're already violating the holy rules of lager, so 55 percent or 45 percent, you're going to be fine. I do this method with my lagers and it's more robust than you might expect. If you think about it, even if you overshoot a bit, so what?

I normally start fermenting about 50 degrees, then ramp up 4 degrees every 12 hours until 66. Would it matter if I overshot a bit? No. The yeast are going to do just fine at 50 degrees even if I don't ramp it up.

 

[wepeeler]

I tried this method for my first ever lager, and it was the first beer in over 20+ batches with off flavors. I was thinking it was diacetyl from the yeast, but the more I think about it, I've come to the conclusion that it was contamination. I'm going to brew it again, using the same fast lager method. Hopefully with better results.

 

[Queequeg]

In my limited experience its usually at 50% by day 3 or 5, after which it slows.

Take a look at Mike McDole's slide show its a good guide and I have found the lager fermentations I have done have closely followed it.


https://www.bayareamashers.org/wp-c...ebrewCon16-Fast-Lager-Yeast-Fermentations.pdf

 

[Queequeg]

FWIW, there's nothing holy about hitting exactly 50 percent. You'd get great beer if you overshot a bit. In other words, you're already violating the holy rules of lager, so 55 percent or 45 percent, you're going to be fine. I do this method with my lagers and it's more robust than you might expect. If you think about it, even if you overshoot a bit, so what?

No only that the exact 50%, 75%, 90% time points often fall when your asleep, so unless you have a brewpi setup.....

 

[RmikeVT]

I make a helles /bo pils with 34/70 dry yeast (2 packs in 5.5g) and ferment a couple weeks in my basement in the low 60s and it turns out great everytime. 3 or 4 weeks in primary then to keg, fine with gelatin and give 4 or 5 days to drop out and drink. It shocks me how good and easy it is every time.