First go at doing a lager kit properly

[jasebrooker]

Hi everyone.

So I've got myself a Youngs Harvest Pilsner Kit. I made the Coopers Australian Lager kit a while back just following the destructions and it went well but I want to have a go at doing this one properly as a lager.

The instructions say to add 1.5kg sugar and leave to ferment like any other kit at 20-25 degrees C.

I'm going to add a Kg of sugar and 500g DME which I'm fine with but what I need all your brains for is the process with my new yeast.

I have ordered a packet of youngs lager yeast off eBay but Im not sure if I just pitch it like I do for an ale and leave it as normal or if I have to keep everything cold or what?

Could do with some advice.

Thanks.

 

[Math0]

I am not sure to understand your question. To pitch in the yeast, you can just open the bag and put it in when the wort is cooled (this is the important part). Or you can put the yeast in 200ml of water to rehydrate it for a couple hours and then pitch in when the temperature is at fermentation temp. The second option will help the yeast be ready to do its job. I hope this helps

 

[BigFloyd]

I suspect that the instructions in that kit assume that you're using their yeast (some generic ale yeast). Some companies will call those kits "lagers" when they're really ales.

If you're using a real lager yeast, it's not going to give you a good result fermenting at 20-25*C. 25*C is much too warm for most ales strains anyway.

For a lager using lager yeast, you're going to want to pitch and ferment that around 10*C (50*F), raise it to 16-17*C right at the end of fermentation for a diacetyl rest a few days. After racking it off the yeast, you then cold lager it (about 2.5*C) for a month or more.

 

[jasebrooker]

Many thanks BigFloyd, that's more what I was asking. Do I cold lager in bottles or should I move it to a secondary first then bottle after a month or two?

 

[BigFloyd]

Many thanks BigFloyd, that's more what I was asking. Do I cold lager in bottles or should I move it to a secondary first then bottle after a month or two?

You're quite welcome. Since I keg all of my lagers and fill any bottles I need from the taps (using the DIY "Biermuncher" setup), I can't speak from first-hand experience. I understand that most folks who bottle like to first cold lager in a glass carboy. After that, they prime/bottle then carbonate at room temp. Some folks will add a small amount (around 1/5 a packet) of a dry ale yeast at bottling just in case.

Compared to ales, lagers are a bit of a PITA, but I still like making them.