Diacetyl Rest AFTER kegging and carbing?

[goetzUM]

My beer has already been kegged and carbed but it tastes like diacetyl. Is there anything I can do at this point?

More details:

I brewed an Octoberfest and it was my first time lagering. I never had a fridge to control my temperature before now. I fermented at 50 degrees until fermentation looked like it had really slowed down. Then I took it out of the fridge for 24 hours (diacetyl rest) before putting it back in the fridge and taking the temperature down to 40. I lagered it at 40 for three weeks before kegging it and force carbing it. After it force carbed for a week, I just tapped it today and it still has a buttery diacetyl taste. Apparently I didn't do a long enough diacetyl rest.

Should I unhook the keg and take it out of the fridge for a couple days? I imagine the yeast is no longer active enough to clean up the diacetyl after all that time lagering. Does anyone else have experience with this?

 

[elmetal]

wouldn't hurt to try.

 

[goetzUM]

That's what I figured. I'm taking it out of the fridge for the next few days and will see how that affects it.

 

[CaptYesterday]

The first time I brewed a lager I underpitched like crazy and would up with massive amounts of diacetyl. I bottled it anyway and threw it in the back of the closet and forgot about it. A few months later I rediscovered it and tossed a bottle in the fridge.

It still had some diacetyl in the flavor, but it wasn't as up front and in your face. If you have the time and space just put it somewhere with a constant temp and leave it for a month or two.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Your best bet is going to be to transfer into a fermenter, pitch a starter of ale yeast at high krausen, and let it run its course. Then clarify, rack, and re-carb. There isn't going to be enough viable yeast left at this point to cleanup the diacetyl.

 

[Pangea]

My experience is that letting it sit refrigerated (pseudo-lagering) has helped smooth out my lagers. This may help yours, but there will not be enough yeast activity to do a proper diacetyl rest now that you've carbonated.

 

[goetzUM]

Thanks for the advice guys. CaptYesterday, I made two 16oz starters with the yeast, but some of the things that I've read since then suggest that I should be making an even bigger starter. So, I bought a 1 gallon growler for the future.

Yeah, judging by how clear my beer was coming out of the tap, there likely isn't enough yeast to clean up the diacetyl at all. I'll try pitching the full krausen ale yeast.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I had Diacetyl form in a keg of amber lager.

I pulled the keg out of kegerator, let it warm up, then added a small starter made from US-05.

Two weeks later I chilled it back down and it was pretty good. There was still a tiny hint of diacetyl, but 90% if it was gone.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I had Diacetyl form in a keg of amber lager.

I pulled the keg out of kegerator, let it warm up, then added a small starter made from US-05.

Two weeks later I chilled it back down and it was pretty good. There was still a tiny hint of diacetyl, but 90% if it was gone.

I did about the same, but about 98% of diacetyl was gone...dry hopping covered it up...but that effect depends on the style...

 

[budbo]

I use alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase (they used to sell it at Austin Home brew) and cold pitch to prevent it.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I use alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase (they used to sell it at Austin Home brew) and cold pitch to prevent it.

I only get it on one recipe. I haven't tried to figure wht's going on yet (2nd time brewing it) because I could be giving up that recipe...

 

[Saccharomyces]

I use alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase (they used to sell it at Austin Home brew) and cold pitch to prevent it.

They still sell it. I have some. It's $$, like $7 I think.

 

[budbo]

They still sell it. I have some. It's $$, like $7 I think.

Nope, they stopped carrying it. If you know where else to get it let me know.

 

[lamarguy]

They still sell it. I have some. It's $$, like $7 I think.

AHS is currently sold out of ALDC. Does anyone know of another supplier in the US? There appears to be a number of suppliers in China.