First lagger and possible early d-rest

[Pancitboy]

I'm doing my first lagger but I feel like I did the d-rest too early. I pitched primary on 3/14 at 52 degrees. I did the rest on 3/19 at 62 degrees and planned to keep it for 2-3 days. However, I've just been reading at HBT that the primary should be around 1.5-2 weeks before d-rest. The recipe doesn't list anything specific on how long fermentation should be or when to d-rest. I've read prior to doing the d-rest that it should be done from the mid to late stages of fermentation.

Did I mess it up? Or could I bring the temp back down to 52 for then next 1.5 weeks and d-rest again?

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

I don't think you can "redo" it b/c the fermentation will be done...just let it ride.

 

[freisste]

Chalk it up to experience. Next time you do a lager, make sure to pitch PLENTY of yeast (use a calculator), hold the temp in the ideal range and test gravity. When you are 75-80% of the way through fermentation, warm the beer to do a d-rest. Some people have strict temp profiles for a rest (like warm the beer 3deg/day for 10 days, hold, cool to lager...whatever). I personally just move the beer to my dining room and put a blanket over it. It's like 70f in there, so warm enough.

Holding temp is easy with a fermentation chamber. If you don't have one, you might have to do some tricks such as a swamp cooler.

The beer isn't messed up, but as was mentioned you can't re-do a d-rest. You need active yeast, and you almost surely let the yeast eat the last of the sugar when you warmed it the first time. I've heard of people adding sugar to restart, but you're probably better off moving forward than potentially ruining a beer that is fine by trying to make it better.