Fermenting Question

[chris_newton]

Hi all

I started my first batch of lager last saturday, its was one that comes in a tin where you add sugar etc. I took the lid of my bin yesterday (thursday) and thought i would see loads of froth on the top but there wasnt any it was clear. My airlock has slowed down with bubbles once every 45 seconcs or so now so its nearly finished. Should i be worried that there was no froth on the top?

May be a really silly question but like i say its my first batch!

Thanks

Chris

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

hey chris and welcome to the world of brewing. there's no such thing as a silly question, just silly answers! :~)

i'd let it sit in the primary fermentor for 4-7 days. then (if using two stage femrmentation) rack it to a 5 gallon glass carboy for conditioning and clearing for about another 7-10 days (for a regular gravity ale). if using single stage, let it set for about 10 days in the primary, then bottle and allow to age for 2-3 weeks in the bottle to carbonate. chill and enjoy! a true lager should be fermented around 50-55 degrees for 10-14 days, then allowed to rise to around 68 degrees for 2-3 days for a diacetyl rest (diacetyl is a yeast by product, that the yeast will consume during the rest to eliminate the flavor in the finished beer, therefor giving it a clean, crips tatste), then rack to secondary. lower the temp by 2 degrees a day until you reach 30-32 degrees, then lager (cold store) for a minimum of 4 weeks. or, just use the ale schedule. the ale schedule will result in a little fruitier and estery beer than a true lager. try not to pop the top open and look too much, may allow some nasties to get in there and mess up your brew. try a 6.5 gallon glass carboy for a primary the next bacth. that way you can check and see all the activity, w/out possible contamination.

hope that helps?

 

[Sasquatch]

If it's been in the fermenter since Sat, and you looked Thurs, you probably missed the fun. The rocky head will have dissipated - time to move your beer into carboy or if I remember right you have some kind of keg thing...

 

[Rhoobarb]

What they said! And welcome!