How do i know when lagering is done?

[jigidyjim]

I'm at 4 weeks of lagering at roughly 32 degrees. Was planning on 6 weeks, but wondering how much it matters, and how I can tell if it's ready or not.

It has diacetyl but I'm pretty sure that's because I underpitched and the fermentation alone took around 3 weeks (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/slow-lager-fermentation-let-ride-pitch-more-yeast-211156/). I gave it a d-rest before lagering. But maybe I didn't do it long enough, or maybe it's just a lost cause, or who knows. It's my first lager.

It still seems like it might be drinkable. Better than the diacetyl I tasted in a pale ale the other day... nasty.

 

[buckeyebrewer]

I did the same thing with my first lager. I drank it but it sucked...diacetyl tastes like crap. I made sure to keep a good eye on my gravity the next batch I made. When I hit 75% attenuation I let the temp rise to 60ish...tasted it every day and when I detected no diacetyl I racked and started lagering. I also made a big starter. Haven't had any issues with my lagers since. It's all about the amount of yeast and proper ferment temps in a lager.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Depends upon the starting gravity of the brew. Usually, the higher the gravity, the longer it takes to lager. If it's an average strength brew, 4-6 weeks should be sufficient. How long was your d-rest? When I brew a lager, I shoot for about 4 days or so of a d-rest. As buck states, a huge starter for even an average strength lager is a wise idea.