How do I know when Lagering is done?

[DNW]

This is my first lager, made from super light extract (6# LME and 1# DME) with White Labs German Lager yeast.

It was in primary for 3 weeks at 52°. I gave it a two day D-rest and it's been lagering at 35° for 4 weeks now. The airlock is still bubbling away, up to about 1 bubble every 3-4 seconds. Is there some way of measuring when what needs to be done is done, or is it simply a formula based on time, or what?

I didn't actually check the SG when I took it out of primary. It had been so long it just never even occurred to me that I should, because it had been fermenting well during the first week and a half (I was on vaca the second week and a half and there was no visible fermentation when I got back), so I'm quite certain it was done, but...

So where do I go from here?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

check the FG for signs of "stuckage" (doubtful, prolly just offgassing).

If it looks reasonable bottle it.

I typically primary for a month. Lager in the keg and know the keg is finished lagering as soon as a faucet runs dry.

 

[Yooper]

I primary my lagers about 10 days to 14 days, and when the SG shows it's about 75% to the FG, then I raise the temperature for the diacetyl rest (if I'm doing one). I don't always do a diacetyl rest- it depends on the yeast strain and if I detect any signs of diacetyl.

Anyway, after the diacetyl rest, I check the Fg and rack to secondary if the FG shows it's done. That's when I start lagering. I've found that a week per 10 points of OG works great. So, for a 1.060 beer, I'd lager for 6 weeks. For a 1.040 beer, 4 weeks. It's a pretty good rule of thumb.

 

[WBC]

You can siphon/beertheif some of the beer and taste it and like yooperbrew said, the 10 points of OG = 1 month is a nice rule but you can go longer if you like too but the rule is a good one.

 

[DNW]

K. Thanks guys.

 

[jcryan2]

Yooperbrew,

Expanding on your process a bit -- When do you carbonate if kegging the brew? At the end of the lagering period? A few weeks in, adding a few pounds of CO2 pressure here and there? I've had my first two lagers sitting at 40 degrees for a coiuple of weeks now and wonder when it is best to add the fizz.

Thanks

 

[Yooper]

Yooperbrew,

Expanding on your process a bit -- When do you carbonate if kegging the brew? At the end of the lagering period? A few weeks in, adding a few pounds of CO2 pressure here and there? I've had my first two lagers sitting at 40 degrees for a coiuple of weeks now and wonder when it is best to add the fizz.

Thanks

Carbonation doesn't affect aging, so I just force carb it when I put it in the kegerator.

 

[jcryan2]

Great, thanks!