Lager Fermentaions ?

[Taygel]

Okay just brewed my first lager and was wondering a few things. The recipe call to cool the wort to 40 f before pitching the yeast. I was wonder how you guys do that. i just capped it and put it in my fridge then the next morning i did 30 seconds of o2 and picth the yeast. Doest this sound right to you guys? To little O2? to cold? Or what... I would love some help

Cheers

 

[Evan!]

I wouldn't know if it was too cold, because we're missing two key numbers:

• Which yeast strain (different strains have different temp ranges)
• What temp your fridge is

I cool my wort into the 50's, then pitch. The one time I tried pitching at ale temps and then cooling it down, I ended up with a very quick fermentation. Your range is probably in the low 50's; 40f seems very low to me, but I've only done 2 lagers myself. I also doubt that 30 seconds of 02 is enough. Next time, I'd get that wort nice and cool as fast as possible---I don't like the idea of wort sitting around overnight without any yeast pitched on it. The idea is to get the yeast going as fast as possible after flameout, so that no other stray nasties (bacteria, wild yeast, etc) don't get there first. You're probably okay this time, but next time, I'd set my lagerator on the coldest setting the day before you brew, then put it in there as soon as your chiller levels out and you've got it in the fermenter. Then watch it closely until it gets into the mid 50f's, and aerate/pitch.

It'll be fine though....

 

[olllllo]

Okay just brewed my first lager and was wondering a few things. The recipe call to cool the wort to 40 f before pitching the yeast. I was wonder how you guys do that. i just capped it and put it in my fridge then the next morning i did 30 seconds of o2 and picth the yeast. Doest this sound right to you guys? To little O2? to cold? Or what... I would love some help

Cheers

You put it in your fridge, a fridge that has a temperature controller, right?

 

[Taygel]

Sorry guys, here is the missing info
Yeast Strain: German lager
Temp set on fridge to 40 before i pitched the yeast and now i have set at 50. Just checked and its at 52 F.

 

[Taygel]

Also do you guys think i could just sanitize and O2 to again? I Just pitched this morning.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

O2 is actually best at 12-14 hours post pitch. Thats when yeast need o2 the most, so you'd be fine doing that. After about 24 hours (depending on speed of yeast growth) yeast hit their anaerobic stage and aerating is generally NOT advised.

Yeast is a pretty good o2 scrubber even when it's in it's anaerobic stage. Though I'll get yelled at and probably start a 48 page debate if I you it's OK to aerate once after the yeast hit it's anaerobic stage.

I wouldn't normally advise it, but for stuck fermentations or barley wines this is actually done quite often in the brewing and wine industries to restart fermentations.

 

[Yooper]

One thing that I've discovered with lagers is the importance of a huge starter. If you don't make a starter, it will take forever to get going.

 

[boo boo]

The cooling to the 40's part is to reduce diacetyl production. I have no problem cooling to low 50's with my IC so I don't worry about leaving my wort overnight.

The wort will absorb more O2 when it is cold than when it is warm so a 30 second blast will probably work OK. I use a minute of O2.

Make a large starter or pitch a large amount of dry yeast, your call.

 

[Taygel]

i was re-reading the directions in the new BYO on Schwarzbier and it said to make the starter with two vials of yeast. I only made it with one. I think tomorrow i'm going to buy two more vials and pitch it. I'm a little bit of a worrier and its been 36 hours and my air lock is just starting to creep a little no real obvious signs. Any thoughts?

 

[orion2598]

Well if its any consolation, I just made a Vienna on Wednesday and I still don't have any signs of fermentation. I started with 2 activator packs and made a 2L starter 1 day ahead of time. I also pitch cold @45. I think it just takes the yeast awhile to get started with such cold temps.

Tough call on more yeast. I did my first lager with 1 activator pack an no starter. It turned out a bit high on the FG and I wasn't very happy with it. If you had a really really good starter than I wouldn't worry, but if not, I would pitch some more. But, I'm not a yeast expert.

 

[FireBrewer]

Go here, it'll tell you how much yeast you need to pitch.