first lager starter

[beerloaf]

I have never brewed a lager so I thought "hey what the hell why not." I made a 2 L starter yesterday in a 1/2 gal jug. Even put an airlock on it for good measure. Yeah I know you don't have to but I had one sitting around so why not. This was an Oktoberfest lager yeast from White Labs and it took off like a beast about 5 hours later. Unfortunately I don't have a stir plate yet so I just shook it every few hours and seemed to work well. I'm keeping it around 66-68 *F which I read wasnt to high or crazy for lager yeast to help multiply the yeast count. I plan to brew on Fri or Sat and pitch around 53-55*F. One question. I read that it is a good idea to lower the starter temp to fermentation temps around pitching time. Whats the best way to do that without shocking the yeasties too much?

beerloaf

 

[Yooper]

Once the starter is finished, stick it in the fridge. You can put some sanitized foil over the top. On brewday, take it out and pour off most of the spent wort. When the yeast is about 48 degrees, pitch it into 50-52 degree wort. That works great- the yeast like being pitched into every-so-slightly warmer wort. Then let it rise to the desired fermentation temperture.

 

[beerloaf]

Thank you Yooper. That's what I was looking for. I tend to be pretty comfortable with ales, but this lager stuff is a whole new world.

beerloaf

 

[JohnnyO]

Enjoy! Once you do your first lager, you'll look forward to the next!

 

[PaulHilgeman]

Keep it cold, and let it ferment a long time. Keep it in primary for AT LEAST 1 week after the krausen is completely gone. I keep my lagers in primary for 1 month minimum, if your ofest is around 1.060, I'd say more like 5 weeks.

After 10-12 days if it looks like it is slowing down, let the temp go up to the low 60's to let it finish out. Then let it sit at this temp for a few weeks to really let it clean up. You can start to lower the temp during this time if you would like or have the ability to. By the end of the 4-5 week primary, you can get it really cold before kegging it.

Then if you kegged it, let it sit cold for at least another 3-4 weeks to 'lager', as it will really clean up and get tasty. If you are bottling, it takes significantly longer for some reason. After they carb up, they will need to sit in the cold for months before they get as clean as a commercial lager.

 

[PaulHilgeman]

Agreed with the above. I am addicted to lagers, I brew about half lagers at this point, they are SOOOOO good when they are done right. The craft beer industry in north america makes great ales, but the great lagers are few-and-far between, and then there is the freshness question, so homebrewing lagers can be REALLY rewarding.

When you get one right, you wont be able to keep your hands off of it.

 

[beerloaf]

Thanks for all the replys and the good info. I was planning to initially ferment around 50-55*F for at least 3-4 weeks, then warm up for a diacetyl rest for 4-5 days, then lager for around 2 months as low as I can get which is around 35*F. I should have all my kegging setup complete by then and plan to keg this and force carb that way. I can always bottle if not.

beerloaf

 

[osagedr]

Thanks for all the replys and the good info. I was planning to initially ferment around 50-55*F for at least 3-4 weeks, then warm up for a diacetyl rest for 4-5 days, then lager for around 2 months as low as I can get which is around 35*F. I should have all my kegging setup complete by then and plan to keg this and force carb that way. I can always bottle if not.

beerloaf

Your d-rest timing will depend on SG. If your fermentation temp is something like 55 degrees, you will probably be ready for your diacetyl rest within a week, possibly significantly under a week. You want your d-rest to occur with six or eight gravity points left to go (i.e. when you still have active fermentation). I typically do it right at 1.020. Your beer could easily be that low in five days, or, if you are super-low on your ferm temp and/or underpitch a bit, it could take two weeks to get there. Once your d-rest is over (4-5 days is longer than it likely needs but certainly won't hurt anything), rack it and chill it. Some people go down 2-3 degrees per day; I've done it that way but often just crash. Just be sure you're at FG before starting to lager!

 

[beerloaf]

Thanks for the info osagedr. I wasn't sure how long to let it ferment. I was shooting for 1.020 for d-rest from all the reasearch I've done.

beerloaf

 

[Saccharomyces]

I do similar to what Paul mentioned above... I leave it in the primary one month and then lower it slowly to 42*F still on the primary yeast and hold there for two weeks before crash cooling and kegging.

 

[boo boo]

, and then there is the freshness question, so homebrewing lagers can be REALLY rewarding.

When you get one right, you wont be able to keep your hands off of it.

Amen to that. I couldn't agree more.

 

[osagedr]

I would encourage people to use highly flocculant yeasts for lagers unless they intend to filter. Clarity is a big deal for lagers, especially light coloured ones, which account for the vast proportion of what people drink (and probably brew). I generally use W-34/70 and it flocculates very, very well. I did a Czech lager with S-23 and although I like the beer (it is still lagering), it is a long way from clearing up, despite being held at 33 degrees for over a month. It even took a lot longer for the yeast to settle out after washing. Maybe I'll start filtering my beers sometime and then it will matter less.

 

[beerloaf]

I brewed on Sunday 6/26 and pitched at around 52*F. I initially became concerned due to not seeing any activity for over 24 hrs. But then I just relaxed and had a homebrew figuring that lagers due to being colder may take some time to get going. That made things a lot better! Just before I left for work this morning. I noted the airlock bubbling every few seconds. That made me pretty happy. I'm keeping it between 48-53 in a swamp cooler setup with frozen water jugs. I will check gravity next week and go from there. Thanks again for the help.

beerloaf

 

[beerloaf]

I took a gravity reading yesterday and the krausen was gone and it was at 1.020. So I took it out of the ice bath and let it warm up to basement temp which currently is around 65-68*F for the diacetyl rest. My question is...is 2 days at that temp long enough for a diacetyl rest? The reason I ask is that I work 16 hr shifts this week and I will be off on Wed and on Friday. So I would have 2 day or 4 days before I rack to a secondary for lagering. I thought 4 might have been too long. I also tasted the leftovers after taking a gravity and it tasted decent which surprised me.

beerloaf

 

[PaulHilgeman]

I'd say 4 or more, no problem at all. I regularly do a week long D-Rest, it cleans up the beer faster, less lagering time for an equally good, if not better beer.

However, seeing as you brewed this about 10 days ago, what on earth are you trying to get it off of the primary yeast for?

I'd say that since you went down to 1.020 in about 10 days, that you had a pretty good primary fermentation, just let it sit cold, or warm it up at this point, but the KEY will be to let it sit in the primary for another 2-3 weeks.

You need as many mechanisms to reduce Diacetyl, and acetylaldehyde as you can, those mechanisms are your yeast cells, why reduce that yeast cell count. You wont get any off-flavors or anything until at least 2-3 months, and longer if it is cold. Like I said above, I leave all of my lagers in primary for roughly 1 week per 10 gravity points, if it is 1.040-1.050, it gets 4 weeks, if it is 1.050-1.060, it gets 5 weeks etc. The other general rule is that it is kept cold... 48 or 50 degrees for the first 1/2 of that time.

 

[bh10]

I would encourage people to use highly flocculant yeasts for lagers unless they intend to filter. Clarity is a big deal for lagers, especially light coloured ones, which account for the vast proportion of what people drink (and probably brew). I generally use W-34/70 and it flocculates very, very well. I did a Czech lager with S-23 and although I like the beer (it is still lagering), it is a long way from clearing up, despite being held at 33 degrees for over a month. It even took a lot longer for the yeast to settle out after washing. Maybe I'll start filtering my beers sometime and then it will matter less.

Ive done 8 lagers, and the yeast I use isnt to flocculant and have never had a problem with them clearing, lagering will drop almost all yeast out of suspension.

 

[billf2112]

Sounds like you got it down. I screwed up the diacetyl rest on my lager over the winter. Ended up with a slight esther. Still a very drinkable brew, smooth an tasty.

Looking forward to colder weather so I can do my next one. I learned so much from the first.

 

[PaulHilgeman]

Ive done 8 lagers, and the yeast I use isnt to flocculant and have never had a problem with them clearing, lagering will drop almost all yeast out of suspension.

Agreed,

If the above light colored lager is not dropping clear, it is probably a water issue. If you are at or under 4 SRM, you need to be checking your mash pH, and keeping your alkalinity low, or the beer will only get clear, it will never get bright. The slight cloudiness that you see isnt yeast, it is non-coagulated protiens and tannins still in suspension.

 

[beerloaf]

Thanks for the quick responses and great info. I will let it rest for 4 days and then lager from there. I will wash and save the yeast as well in case this turns out well so I can make it again. Anyone know how long lager least is viable after it's washed and stored in canning jars?

beerloaf