Diacetyl rest

[bkirkland]

Is this after secondary fermentation or before? it's my first lager...

 

[944play]

During primary, at the tail end. I watch for the kraeusen to fall, then raise the temp slightly.

From Braukaiser.com:

Pitch cold, let it ferment around 50 °F (10 °C) and once the fermentation slowed down significantly and the gravity of the beer is close to its final gravity, raise the beers temperature to 65 - 68 °F (17-19 °C) for a diacetyl rest. This diacetyl rest has the effect of giving the slowing yeast a boost to finish the last sugars and reduce the diacetyl.

 

[bkirkland]

How long 7-12 days? What then rack to secondary , lower temp back to 46-50..

 

[944play]

That excerpt was referring to schedule "F" in this chart:

Just a guideline for a production schedule where all the parameters are optimized. Let the beer take as long as it needs.

 

[Malticulous]

There are too many variables to put a solid time frame on it. When the air lock activity slows I move my fermenter to room temp. It's usually 1.020 or less and not quite a week old. In another few days it's ready to be crashed to lagering temp in secondary. I do it more for speeding up attenuation and to free up my temp controlled fridge. It's not much different than my ales. There is no need for it to sit on the yeast very long.

 

[jsled]

The chart 944play posted is part of https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Fermenting_Lagers , which has a lot more great info.

 

[HollisBrewCo]

I do my D-rest in the primary. A little different than most i warm the beer up for the last 2 or so gravity points then slowly cool it down to 30-31 to drop the yeast (usually add gelatin) and lager for a few weeks.

 

[bkirkland]

Thanks for the speedy responses ! I'm New to lagers and just want this to turn out so I can't justify the extra space and equipment !!!