dortmunder

[tpalmer521]

I'm doing a partial extract dortmunder with og @ 1.070. I'm not using a secondary ( don't have one yet) it bubbled for 5 or 5 days. Do I now just leave it in my unopened bucketd until day 21 and then just bottle it?

 

[menschmaschine]

The first question is if you used a true lager yeast. The answer to your question depends on that.

PS: Spent 4 years in Indiana, PA... went to IUP.

 

[tpalmer521]

The yeast was SAF Lager S-23 Yeast. and my temperature in my bucket is 42 -44 degrees F. I also graduated from iup, in safety science. Ive got 1 ale (american wheat) finished. 3 kinds bottled and ready to drink, 2 kinds carbing and this dort. It is my first attempt at a lager. I appriciate the help. Also do you know anything about "Pliney the Elder" , im thinking of trying this next.

 

[JVD]

Should ferment in the low to mid 50's for at least 2weeks,take a gravity reading,if done fermenting then lager it Between 32-40 for at least 4 weeks..........There is Pliney the Elder clones on this site.Do a search !

 

[menschmaschine]

The yeast was SAF Lager S-23 Yeast. and my temperature in my bucket is 42 -44 degrees F. I also graduated from iup, in safety science. Ive got 1 ale (american wheat) finished. 3 kinds bottled and ready to drink, 2 kinds carbing and this dort. It is my first attempt at a lager. I appriciate the help. Also do you know anything about "Pliney the Elder" , im thinking of trying this next.

Did you take a gravity reading? 42-44°F is a low temp for a lager... probably near the bottom end of what most lager yeasts will even ferment. If you don't have a secondary vessel, you can bottle-lager it, but bulk lagering is more ideal.

In any case, you want to make sure it's done fermenting and reached its FG before lagering/bottling. If you lager in the bottles, I think most bottle-lagerers let it carb first (~50°F or higher), then lager it (~33°F). A 1.070 lager is going to need to lager for a fairly long time, like 8 weeks.

[Safety science? I was Env. Health and took 3 safety courses... we probably had some of the same classes and profs.]

 

[tpalmer521]

Im at 42 degrees, bubbled for about 4 or 5 days. If i bring the temp up to 50 or so will it start to bubble some more? also should i be concerned about opening up the lid and letting in air to take my hydrometer reading. Also what year did you graduade in environmental?

 

[tpalmer521]

whoops my temp is 54-56 degrees. dont know what i was looking at. I made my wort on march 8th and i just looked and i am still bubbling. ( one bubble every 1min 30 seconds.) Can i just leave the lid on so as to not let in air after it quits bubbling and stick it in the fridge to lager?

 

[menschmaschine]

Fermentation might be winding down if it was in the mid 50s°F. But you can't just go by bubbles in the airlock. Beer will off-gas some CO2 after fermentation is complete and keep the airlock bubbling. You really need to take a hydrometer reading.

You would risk some off-flavors by lagering in your primary fermenter. It's best to get lagers off the yeast soon after primary fermentation is done (decaying yeast cells and trub can cause off-flavors in lagers). Also, it sounds like you have a bucket for a primary fermenter. Supposedly, they are permeable enough to oxidize the beer over long periods.

I would just check the gravity and, if it's done, bottle it, let it carb for a couple weeks, then lager it in the bottles for like 8 weeks before drinking... or go get a 5 gallon Better Bottle or glass carboy and lager in that, then bottle.

[Graduated in '99, but went to college 4 years "late" after 4 years in the Marines.]