I'm liking Lagering!

[JONNYROTTEN]

This is my second lager attempt.
The first one was good this one is even better. This is 3 weeks and it needs nothing more IMHO
But it is the 2nd pour and will be looking forward to see if it changes,plus it as a split batch and the other one is still lagering at 32 deg
Looking forward to the Munich Helles that's gong in for a diacetyl rest tomorrow....Addicted I am

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Are you sure? You can always send some out for additional opinions. nice color and clarity.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Might have to put this one in the recipe section for my first recipe

 

[ChuckS1]

I made my first lager, a Helles, using Brulosopher's quick lager technique. Worked out great, at least to me. I'll try it again with RO water and mineral adjustments, just to see if it makes a noticeable difference over my Rainsoft house water.

 

[mongoose33]

When you say 3 weeks, is that three weeks lagering or three weeks from brewing?

I made my first lager on February 19th; it was cold crashed on March 1st and kegged on March 5th. It's been lagering since then, so it's been 13 days in the keg, 17 days since crashing.

I have exercised the greatest patience ever witnessed in a brewer as I have NOT cracked that keg for a taste. It's been on the gas so I'm sure it's carbed up.

I made this for a throwdown at my LHBC on April 5th, so I expect to bottle from the keg on the 3rd or 4th of April.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

This is exactly 3 weeks from brew day.
pitched at 60
dropped to 50 over a 24 hour period
5 days from pitch date I started diacetyl rest
free rise to 67 for around 8 days
cold crashed to 32 for 7 days
kegged with gelatin at 40 psi for 24 hours
dropped to 12
didn't touch for 48 hours from keg date to let the gelatin work
this is the 3rd day from kegging
If the days don't work out exactly it was a Saturday to Saturday timeframe(3 weeks)

I've neglected to do lagers for years due to the 2/3 month timeframe I've always read it needs to be.....I'm calling BS on that.

Lagers cane be done in the same timeframe as ales and it opens a whole new door to brewing.

I'm new to lagers but I think 3 month lagering will go the same route as secondarys and become a thing of the past

Heres another pic showing clarity

 

[Sammy86]

She's a beaut Clark! Congrats!

 

[mongoose33]

This is exactly 3 weeks from brew day.
pitched at 60
dropped to 50 over a 24 hour period
5 days from pitch date I started diacetyl rest
free rise to 67 for around 8 days
cold crashed to 32 for 7 days
kegged with gelatin at 40 psi for 24 hours
dropped to 12
didn't touch for 48 hours from keg date to let the gelatin work
this is the 3rd day from kegging
If the days don't work out exactly it was a Saturday to Saturday timeframe(3 weeks)

I've neglected to do lagers for years due to the 2/3 month timeframe I've always read it needs to be.....I'm calling BS on that.

Lagers cane be done in the same timeframe as ales and it opens a whole new door to brewing.

I'm new to lagers but I think 3 month lagering will go the same route as secondarys and become a thing of the past

Heres another pic showing clarity

My process was similar to yours. I pitched at 50 degrees, let it get to halfway in attenuation (from 1.050 to 1.030), then raised temps 4 degrees every 12 hours to 66 degrees. Let it sit there for 74 hours until I had stabilized at 1.010. Then started a slow crash over 3 days down to 32 degrees.

You have now eliminated any last reason I can think of to not go and test that lager. So I will. Patience loses. I will report back in a bit.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I have exercised the greatest patience ever witnessed in a brewer as I have NOT cracked that keg for a taste.

That's no joke...pull a few pints what do you have to loose. They'll be plenty left for the club

 

[mongoose33]

That's no joke...pull a few pints what do you have to loose. They'll be plenty left for the club

Well....it tastes like a lager. Crisp, clean and dry finish....I'm sure my BMC drinking friends would find little fault with it.

My wife's reaction: "It's been so long since I've had a normal beer I'm not sure what it's supposed to taste like, but it's good."

It's quite drinkable right now and I think it'll smooth out a bit more in a couple weeks. Reminds me a lot of a German Pils. Wait, that's what I brewed!

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

There ya go.... looks good.

That's funny with your wife. The first thing I did when my wife came home is said "you gotta try this" she liked it

We'll see about smoothing out. I have the same beer from a split batch still sitting at 32 for at least another 2 weeks. We'll see it "smooths out" but somehow I doubt it will chance much.

 

[Gavin C]

Cheers to lagers.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Cheers to lagers.

Galvins Glorious....Your on the list LOL

 

[Curtis2010]

Give it time...at least with a more traditional lagering profile (as oppossed to fast lagering method)...time makes a big difference in my experience. Many times, my wife and I have tapped into a keg a little early (just to test it we tell ourselves) discovered it to be quite good...and kept "testing" of course. Then about the time we drew the last "sample", it had gone from very good to excellent...rush back for more, only to discover the keg was now empty! 😢

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Give it time...at least with a more traditional lagering profile (as oppossed to fast lagering method)...time makes a big difference in my experience. Many times, my wife and I have tapped into a keg a little early (just to test it we tell ourselves) discovered it to be quite good...and kept "testing" of course. Then about the time we drew the last "sample", it had gone from very good to excellent...rush back for more, only to discover the keg was now empty!

Hence the double batch. Even if I rush a first batch the second will be in its prime...And I'm still only drinking my beer the whole time

 

[Gavin C]

Gavins Glorious....Your on the list LOL

That is in fact the beer in hand tonight. I like it.

Brewed a lager today. Schwarzbier with a lager yeast from Michigan's U.P. of all places. Tried my hand at a few new things too.

 

[brewcat]

Give it time...at least with a more traditional lagering profile (as oppossed to fast lagering method)...time makes a big difference in my experience. Many times, my wife and I have tapped into a keg a little early (just to test it we tell ourselves) discovered it to be quite good...and kept "testing" of course. Then about the time we drew the last "sample", it had gone from very good to excellent...rush back for more, only to discover the keg was now empty! 😢

Isn't that every beer?

 

[Curtis2010]

Hence the double batch. Even if I rush a first batch the second will be in its prime...And I'm still only drinking my beer the whole time

Good strategy. :beer:

 

[Curtis2010]

Isn't that every beer?

It is certainly many of them, but esp so with lagers (and meads).

 

[mongoose33]

Give it time...at least with a more traditional lagering profile (as oppossed to fast lagering method)...time makes a big difference in my experience. Many times, my wife and I have tapped into a keg a little early (just to test it we tell ourselves) discovered it to be quite good...and kept "testing" of course. Then about the time we drew the last "sample", it had gone from very good to excellent...rush back for more, only to discover the keg was now empty! 😢

Two words: Double batch.

 

[davemattb]

That is in fact the beer in hand tonight. I like it.



Brewed a lager today. Schwarzbier with a lager yeast from Michigan's U.P. of all places. Tried my hand at a few new things too.

Yooper lager yeast? Please explain the source/strain. Being from there Im very interested. Plus lagers are kind of my thing!

 

[Weezy]

Gavin, is it worth conditioning the grain of you use a bag? I can see the benefit if you're just using a false bottom it'll help with lauttering, but what's the benefit when using a bag? I always wanted to try it but never saw the benefit with the bag.

 

[Gavin C]

Yooper lager yeast? Please explain the source/strain. Being from there Im very interested. Plus lagers are kind of my thing!

Yeah. A strain ranched in the UP of Mich. I got it from a chap who works with a lab in the UP. He's a member here. They sell the strains commercially. I don't know the name of the company I'm afraid.

Gavin, is it worth conditioning the grain of you use a bag? I can see the benefit if you're just using a false bottom it'll help with lauttering, but what's the benefit when using a bag? I always wanted to try it but never saw the benefit with the bag.

I had never done it so gave it a go.

Very simple
Very quick
No dust during milling
I'm sold

The benefits when using bag as an aid to lautering: Theorized ones I suppose. A reduced surface area of husk material may result in less color/astringency.

In reality on small HB scales that I employ: None that I'm aware of other than the neatness with absent dust.

I'm amazed it isn't the norm for anyone using a conventional manifold/FB. At the finest mill setting the husks were intact. I will be doing it from here on. So tidy. The grist is so fluffy and light. Like most brewing tasks, I'd encourage anyone to give it a try.

 

[Morrey]

Yeah. A strain ranched in the UP of Mich. I got it from a chap who works with a lab in the UP. He's a member here. They sell the strains commercially. I don't know the name of the company I'm afraid.



I had never done it so gave it a go.

Very simple
Very quick
No dust during milling
I'm sold

The benefits? None that I'm aware of there than the neatness with absent dust.

I'm amazed it isn't the norm for anyone using a conventional manifold/FB. At the finest mill setting the husks were intact.

Gavin, the rollers of my MM3 are standard rollers and not SS as some are. If your rollers are steel, have you noted any rust on them after you milled slightly moistened (conditioned) grains?

 

[Gavin C]

Gavin, the rollers of my MM3 are standard rollers and not SS as some are. If your rollers are steel, have you noted any rust on them after you milled slightly moistened (conditioned) grains?

My mill is a cheapo. Cereal killer.

Did it once and no rust. Hardly compelling support of the process. If had a pricier mill and was concerned with rust I wouldn't condition the grain.

I don't know what my rollers are made of. Cheap Steel would be my guess but perhaps I do a disservice to the makers of this fine little workhorse mill that has served me well after some initial teething troubles.

 

[Morrey]

My mill is a cheapo. Cereal killer.

Did it once and no rust. Hardly compelling support of the process. If had a pricier mill and was concerned with rust I wouldn't condition the grain.

I don't know what my rollers are made of. Cheap Steel would be my guess but perhaps I do a disservice to the makers of this fine little workhorse mill that has served me well after some initial teething troubles.

I picked up a Cereal Killer in a package deal where the brewer had lost interest and sold it all. I was actually impressed with the CK mill and how easy it is to use and adjust. My brother in law now uses it for his brews and likes it very much.

 

[doug293cz]

Gavin, the rollers of my MM3 are standard rollers and not SS as some are. If your rollers are steel, have you noted any rust on them after you milled slightly moistened (conditioned) grains?

If you are worried about rust, just use a hair drier on the rollers after you're done crushing.

Brew on

 

[wilserbrewer]

The minimal amount of water used to condition is absorbed pretty rapidly by the grain, just merely raising the moisture content from bone dry. That said, I have never heard of any mill rusting from grain conditioning.

I would be more concerned with the environment the mill is stored in than the occasional milling of conditioned grain. Jmo

 

[Morrey]

Based on your responses, I see no reason not to try grain conditioning. With my BIAB fine grind, I am getting a heck of a lot of dust. I'll try conditioning next grind. Thanks!