Diacetyl Woes

[radamadar]

I recently got setup and tried my first lager. It was a 5 gallon recipe for a Marzen style that I built stealing data from "Designing Great Beers", "Joy of Homebrewing", etc. Mash, lauter, and boil went off just fine.

The primary fermentation did not take off at all well... took >6 days for signs of life and was a weak and extended ordeal with lots of checks over 16 days. Despite a diacetyl rest, picked up some strong buttery flavors when stealing a taste well into lagering. Admittedly, I think I under-aerated/oxygenated and under-pitched. Sounds like a common issue with 1st lagers... not to be repeated!

I tried a little extra rest time up at 66 deg F, but by then the lager was very well attenuated and at/near terminal gravity. (1.014) After 4 days I primed and bottled. First sips here and its well carbed, seems like its mellowed a little, but the diacetyl is still there for sure. There are no other apparent defects... good head, great clarity, color is right on... just movie popcorn syndrome.

I've heard this stuff gets really rancid and nasty with time/temp. How long do you think I have? Should I get this into a deep chill? Is there any hope that carbing/conditioning near room temps for another few days might clean up some of this in the bottle? (other threads here suggest no)

Thanks!

 

[TexLaw]

Actually, you might do better to leave the bottles out at room temperature for a while. If you got proper carbonation, you still viable, active yeast. Over time, that yeast will take up the diacetyl. They feed off the stuff.


TL

 

[WillPall]

+1 on waiting at a warmer temp. Don't chill them yet. Give them some time to clean up. I've had a couple beers with noticeable diacetyl after fermentation and giving them more time has cleaned up most, if not all, of the off flavors.

 

[northernlad]

I made a Blonde that had a flavor that may have been diacetyl related and after a couple weeks in the bottle has straightened up considerably.

 

[radamadar]

Awesome... thanks for the reference points. I'll leave 'em out at room temp, drop one in the fridge every several days to see if there's a difference. If it gets worse, I'll chill 'em, otherwise let it take its course.

Thanks again!