first time lager questions

[bd2009]

hey guys! gonna try my first lager and had a couple basic questions. i've read quite a bit about leaving the beer in contact w/ yeast, as opposed to transfering to a secondary, and it's worked great for the ales i've tried. does this concept still work with lagers? or is it necessary to transfer to a secondary at some point when lagering? basically, can i ferment a lager using the same process as an ale, with the exception of colder temps and a longer time? thanks so much for everybody's help!

 

[Windigstadt]

Here's what I do... I primary in the carboy for two to three weeks (depending on the starting gravity, temperature and speed of the yeast), bring it up to 65°F for a diacetyl rest, drop it down to 35°F, and then rack directly to the keg. So for me at least it is indeed the same process I follow for my ales only longer (and with the diacetyl rest thrown in).

 

[Revvy]

I believe though that Ales and Lager have different requirements and needs. and that Lagers should be treated waaay differently then Ales.....Lagers by nature need to be cleaner, any off flavor is way more evident. In fact most of the "bogeymen" of homebrewers is mis reading things like Palmer's writing about Lagers (like autolysis) and assuming he's talking about ALL beers....

Lagers and Ales are really different animals.. Lagers require much specific techniques....like temp control, d-rests if necessary, etc....And have less margin for error.

If you are lagering you want minimal yeast contact....you want to be within the ball park of completeness of fermentation (whether it's 2/3rds or 100%- depending on whose interpretation) and then you want to get it off the yeast cake ASAP and into the cold for a few months.....That's the point of lagers...they are meant to be stored and conditioned for awhile...so you want to minimize the potential for any off flavors from yeast contact.

I do i month in primary then bring it to room temp for 72 hours as a ghetto diacytel rest, then I rack to secondary and take it into the cold for a minimum of 1 month.

It works for me. My vienna lager got an honerable mention in a bjcp contest, so I figured I did the right thing.

 

[budbo]

You can also forgo the dyacetyl rest, by using a diacetyl reducing enzyme or cold pitching (this increases fermentation time) a secondary is advisable for a lager

My lagers generally spend a month fermenting and 2-3 months in the cold secondary before kegging.

 

[Yooper]

My technique sounds like Budbo's. I don't always need a diacetyl rest, but I pitch a big starter cold. If I use a yeast strain that is notorious for producing diacetyl, or if I detect ANY hint of slickness in the mouthfeel near the end of primary, I do a diacetyl rest. Otherwise, after primary, I rack to the carboy and begin lowering the temperature. I usually do a week of lagering for every 10 OG points. So, for a 1.070 lager, I'll lager at least 7 weeks.

You don't want to lager on the yeast cake. You'd have a far greater chance of off-flavors.

 

[Newbeerguy]

I am no where near as experianced as Revvy or Yooper, but I basically do the same thing. I pitch at least a 2000ml starter (3/4 cup slurry, I decant it) for a normal 1.050-1.070 beer. I make sure to pitch it cold too. I primary for 1 month. Check for diacetly, rest if need be, then lager for another month or more. So far so good!