Help with my schedule on lagering and bottling

[gugguson]

Hello guys.

I brewed a lager few weeks back (for my mom who is not as keen as I on extreme beers).

Three days ago the beer had been fermenting for about 3 weeks and was down to 1.006 in gravity (from 1.041). It had been fermenting at 10C/50F for that time so I let it go up to 16C/60F for diacetyl rest for two days.
Yesterday I racked to secondary and set the fermentation fridge to 0.3C/32.5F for lagering.
I have since read some more on the process and I should have lowered the temp over few days so not to "shock" the yeast (Danish lager yeast).
As the yeast is probably shocked right now should I repitch before bottling?

I was thinking about changing the strategy as I have obviously cold crashed the beer so I was thinking about bottling the beer in two days time, let it sit for 4 weeks at roomtemp while carbing and then move again into 0.3/32.5F to lager for 3-4 weeks.

So the questions are:
1. Should I repitch and if so can I use different yeast (I think I would prefer dry yeast to minimize the effort of repitching.
2. Does the process of cold crashing/bottling sound good?
3. When bottling should I let the secondary stay in room temp for 1-2 days before bottling?

Regards,
Joi

 

[gugguson]

Well - silence is close to agreement isn't it ...

 

[HowardMBeers]

Bringing it back up temp could wake up the danish lager yeast. Might give you off flavors if that happens pre-lagering. I would chill and let the lagering go for a couple more weeks then bottle at room temp with a clean profile dry yeast. You might also transfer to a tertiary (!!!) fermenter to remove more of the lager yeast.

 

[gugguson]

Thanks for the reply.

It's currently lagering in secondary right above freezing temp. So the plan is:

1. Have it in lagering for two weeks.
2. Take it out and let it stand for 1-2 days for get the temp up to room temp.
3. Move to bottling bucket with added sugar and fermentis S-23 dry lager yeast and bottle.
4. Let the bottles stand at room temp for 4 weeks.
5. Put the bottles in lagering for 3-4 weeks.

Does this sound like a plan?

Bringing it back up temp could wake up the danish lager yeast. Might give you off flavors if that happens pre-lagering. I would chill and let the lagering go for a couple more weeks then bottle at room temp with a clean profile dry yeast. You might also transfer to a tertiary (!!!) fermenter to remove more of the lager yeast.

 

[HowardMBeers]

You might try plain old s-05 if they are going to be at room temp (20c). Unless room temp there is closer to 10c.

 

[Yooper]

You won't "shock" the yeast, as it was done before you started lagering. Many lager brewers drop the temperature slowly, most often if they haven't done a diacetyl rest so the yeast will not fall out when the temperature drops and the yeast will keep working.

Since the yeast was done here, the beer is fine. I wouldn't warm it up before bottling, just bottle it and it will be fine carbing up at room temperature.

 

[gugguson]

So, are you saying I should bottle right away or should I let it stay longer in "lagering"? Is there than not any reason to repitch?

You won't "shock" the yeast, as it was done before you started lagering. Many lager brewers drop the temperature slowly, most often if they haven't done a diacetyl rest so the yeast will not fall out when the temperature drops and the yeast will keep working.

Since the yeast was done here, the beer is fine. I wouldn't warm it up before bottling, just bottle it and it will be fine carbing up at room temperature.

 

[duboman]

So, are you saying I should bottle right away or should I let it stay longer in "lagering"? Is there than not any reason to repitch?

Correct, if the beer is completely done and clear there is no reason to wait any longer. You can bottle at lagering temps and because it has only been a couple weeks there is still enough yeast to properly carbonate although due to the colder temps carbonation will take longer than the typical 3 weeks at 70.

If you want to add yeast you certainly can and i won't hurt anything at all.

 

[gugguson]

The plan was to have it for two weeks. It has only been two days now so I might ditch the idea of two weeks. So two days ago I "cold crashed" so I could just bottle tomorrow (or wait one day and have the temp go up because I'm going on Iceland - Kroatia match tomorrow and don't have time) without repitching - have it 3-4 weeks at room temp (20C) and then lager in the bottles for 3-4 more weeks. I like the sound of that - easy and I will have drinkable beer late next month. :rockin:

Correct, if the beer is completely done and clear there is no reason to wait any longer. You can bottle at lagering temps and because it has only been a couple weeks there is still enough yeast to properly carbonate although due to the colder temps carbonation will take longer than the typical 3 weeks at 70.

If you want to add yeast you certainly can and i won't hurt anything at all.

 

[duboman]

The plan was to have it for two weeks. It has only been two days now so I might ditch the idea of two weeks. So two days ago I "cold crashed" so I could just bottle tomorrow (or wait one day and have the temp go up because I'm going on Iceland - Kroatia match tomorrow and don't have time) without repitching - have it 3-4 weeks at room temp (20C) and then lager in the bottles for 3-4 more weeks. I like the sound of that - easy and I will have drinkable beer late next month. :rockin:

Sorry, I think I misunderstood, go ahead and lager it until you return and then package it, that would be best. 2 days isn't really lagering................