First Lager - Question on Fermentation/Diacetyl

[Aleshallsetyoufree]

I'm brewing my first lager (a German pilsner), and it only took about 4 days to go from 1044 OG to a finishing gravity of 1010. Not expecting it to ferment so fast, I think I was late (fermenting was over) in putting it out for a diacetylic rest on the fifth day. Anyway, I rested it for two days and then transferred it to secondary. I tasted it at this point, and there was a very slight diacetylic taste, but I was also paranoid and looking for it. When I bottle in about 6 weeks, I was planning to put a half a package of dry yeast in (as suggested in some recipes) to make sure it carbonates, bottle and let it sit for a week at room temperature and then put it in the fridge for another month or so. My question is this: will the new, half package of yeast that I put in to help carbonation also help get rid of any diacetyl or is it too late at that point?

 

[BigB]

The new yeast won't do much for diacetyl...but there is good news. The primary yeast will often continue to consume diacetyl during the lagering stage. The diacetyl rest is more of a safety mechanism, but many brewers skip that step all together. If you pitched plenty of healthy yeast to begin with, the yeast should continue to clean up after themselves. Besides, moving to lagering stage under 7 days is VERY fast IMHO, so the yeast haven't had a chance to clean up after themselves yet anyways.

 

[Aleshallsetyoufree]

Sounds good! Thanks for the info.