First Lager Fermentation - Help

[billism]

I brewed my first lager on the 13th of Feb. this year (6 weeks ago today). It is a traditional bock, complete with double decoction mash.

OG was 1.065. Estimated FG = 1.015.

I did 14 days primary fermentation at 50F and then a 2 day d-rest at 58F before slowly lowering the temp down to ~37F where it has been since in a sealed corni keg. It had about an inch of krausen almost throughout the primary fermentation.

I thought everything was going well with it until today. I sampled it and it tasted too sweet, so I took a hydrometer reading and it is at 1.030 - which is weird because I took an SG reading while racking to secondary and I recorded 1.021 - but I guess I could have read/adjusted wrong. I currently have it in a sealed corni keg at lagering temperature.

The dip tube isn't cut and I didn't really notice a whole lot of yeast come out on the first sample pour.

Am I being too hasty? Is this batch hopeless? Any good advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[BigB]

If you took a hydrometer reading of the wort when it was 37F, then that would explain why it is high. It would adjust to 1.030 for a hydrometer that is calibrated at 60F. EDIT: Disregard, I double checked the math, it wouldn't be 1.030 Sounds like your FG ended a little bit high at 1.021 which would explain some of the sweetness, but it is a Bock after all. EDIT: Also, if its still lagering then that means its not fully carbed... The carbonation will give you a "dryer" sense too.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

I brewed my first lager on the 13th of Feb. this year (6 weeks ago today). It is a traditional bock, complete with double decoction mash.

OG was 1.065. Estimated FG = 1.015.

How much yeast did you pitch?

 

[billism]

I used a half gallon starter of Wyeast 2206. The starter was only 2 days old/young when pitched at near fermentation temp of 50. I decanted half of the starter wort off before pitching.

BigB, 1.030 @ 37F is 1.029 according to my calculations.

 

[billism]

Would anyone recommend re-pitching some fresh yeast? Or just let it sit for another month or two?

Edit: Also, right after the d-rest, I racked into the corny keg and sealed it. It appears fermentation never progressed beyond then. Is keeping it under pressure killing the yeast or putting it to sleep?

BTW, here is the recipe:
http://www.billism.com/homebrew/recipes/bill_bock.htm

 

[BigB]

BigB, 1.030 @ 37F is 1.029 according to my calculations.

You're right. My math was off.

If it is that high (1.030), I'd be tempted to take it off the pressure and let it warm up to room temp for a week. Then take another gravity reading.

 

[billism]

I hadn't hooked CO2 up to it, yet - although the keg was sealed, and pressure had built up. The beer was slightly carbonated. I've read mixed things about carbonation possibly halting fermentation (or not).

I just gave it a few swirls to rouse the yeast, turned the temperature up to the high 40s, and connected tubes running from the CO2 inlet post into a bucket of sanitizing solution for an airlock. I may decide to let it sit at room temperature for a few days.