First Lager Question

[rtr]

First Lager and First Partial Mash, in fact (and only our second homebrew...).

We've had a Dopplebock going now for 3 weeks...currently waiting for the recommended "1 to 4 bubbles per minute" before we do the diacetyl rest (currently at about 6 or 7). We made a pretty good size starter, which I'm grateful for, because the OG turned out to be about 1.094!

Anyway, I'm expecting to start the diacetyl rest in the next day or two, and then we'll rack to a secondary and start lagering, but here's my question:

I was planning on either putting the beer in a root cellar we have here that is currently in the lower 30s (though, two months from now, I can only imagine it will be up in the 40s as spring hits) or into an extra fridge in the cellar.

Thing is, other people use this fridge, and while there is plenty of room, I'm curious what the other occupants of said fridge will do. Specifically, a crock pot full of homemade sauerkraut. I mean to say that the fridge smells like sour cabbage, and I'm wondering if that's going to permeate the beer in some way.

As an added note, I am using a Better Bottle and not a glass carboy.

Thoughts?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

You'll be better off in the fridge. As long as your better bottle is sealed tightly, you won't have an issue with anything getting into it.

 

[rtr]

Awesome, thanks.

Finished the diacetyl rest now, and was about to rack to secondary, but I just read something about waiting a little while for the trub to compress? I didn't do that last time, and I only wound up bottling about 4 of the 5 gallons. Is that recommended for lagers? If I do wait, should I go ahead and move it to the lagering temp while it's still in the primary?

 

[artyusmc]

rtr

Im sure everything will be fine but using the airlock as a guide is not recommended. Please refer to some post from revy on the matter. it all about temp and starting/ final gravities.

Welcome to the hobby from a former no chelmsford mass resident

 

[rtr]

Yeah, I was going by the John Palmer "How to Brew" book, and he suggested racking when it gets to about 1 bubble per minute (which is where it is now). I think he said the gravity should be about 3/4 Terminal? The problem being...I've never done this beer before, so I'm not entirely sure what the terminal is going to be!

As for the temperature...the primary has been in the low 50s for nearly 4 weeks now (with the exception of the diacetyl rest). It's taken a lot longer than I anticipated, but it's also a rather high gravity, so I guess it's not that surprising.

I'm planning on putting it in the fridge at 36 degrees F for 8 weeks. I suppose it would then be time for another gravity reading to see if it needs longer?

I've been surprised by how much more complicated the lager is from the ale. I'm currently wondering if there's going to be enough yeast left after 8 weeks to bottle ferment, or if I should save some of the slurry and repitch before I bottle...

So many questions.

Thanks for the welcome!

 

[artyusmc]

i started my first lager last year right before thanksgiving a b3 vienna lager extract. i didn't buy an extra pack of yeast so i pitched right on the wort the dry yeast and let it sit in the garage . Jan 12 i think tried first bottle and it was nice and clear and tasted good too alot better then my first ale or esb.

j palmer's book is a great guide plus i found people on this forum very helpful. i want to build a fermentation chamber and brew more. try the apfelwein nice and easy to make and cheap. see you around go red sox