I've been brewing about 7 months - about 15 batches under my belt, nearly all partial mash.
I bought a Austin Homebrew kit - Texas Bock. This is my first lager. I brewed it, did a gallon yeast starter using White Labs 830, German Lager. (I know best would have been a bock yeast, but this was my first brew on the yeast...later pitched a the AHS Noche Buena kit on top of the yeast cake.) I have been trying to get more "mileage" out of two batches to one vial of yeast. Thus far no problems with off taste batches...beer has always tasted good.
I got some cidery smells from the fermentation, which didn't surprise me based on people's description of lager smells during fermentation. After 12 days in primary at 53-55 degrees F, I racked to secondary and placed in my basement fridge at 39 or lower...
Cidery smells subsided a lot, and I was encouraged. The secondary has spent 3.5 weeks in my fridge. Tonight I brought it up to the kitchen for bottling (based on the AHS brewing instructions). I just took my "final" hydrometer reading - it was lower than target ending gravity for the recipe. The cidery smells are still there, although more muted. But still there.
My question is this - do I bottle, or put it back in the fridge for more lagering? I've read enough on this forum to know not to throw it out.
I'd appreciate your perspectives.
I bought a Austin Homebrew kit - Texas Bock. This is my first lager. I brewed it, did a gallon yeast starter using White Labs 830, German Lager. (I know best would have been a bock yeast, but this was my first brew on the yeast...later pitched a the AHS Noche Buena kit on top of the yeast cake.) I have been trying to get more "mileage" out of two batches to one vial of yeast. Thus far no problems with off taste batches...beer has always tasted good.
I got some cidery smells from the fermentation, which didn't surprise me based on people's description of lager smells during fermentation. After 12 days in primary at 53-55 degrees F, I racked to secondary and placed in my basement fridge at 39 or lower...
Cidery smells subsided a lot, and I was encouraged. The secondary has spent 3.5 weeks in my fridge. Tonight I brought it up to the kitchen for bottling (based on the AHS brewing instructions). I just took my "final" hydrometer reading - it was lower than target ending gravity for the recipe. The cidery smells are still there, although more muted. But still there.
My question is this - do I bottle, or put it back in the fridge for more lagering? I've read enough on this forum to know not to throw it out.
I'd appreciate your perspectives.