I have been brewing for a few months now and decided to try my first lager this past week. I planned on keeping the primary in a cool room for the first two weeks (which is about 65/66) and then move it to the basement (50ish) for the lagering period. I since have read a ton of more information about lagers and have decided to buy a temp controller for my mini fridge and use it for a controlled climate. Could anyone give me advice on whether or not I should move it directly to the fridge tonight and if so, what temp should I start at and for how long? Should I possibly do a week or two at 57? (since the +/-2) and then drop to 47(+/-2) for the remaining several weeks? Anyone's thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Lager process question
- Thread starter cmmartin
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
I'm in the process of my first lager too. Here's what I'm doing. I'm having the primary fermentation at about 53F. Raising it to 60F nearing the end of fermentation to ferment out the diacetyl, then lagering at about 35F for 4-6weeks. My problem was figuring how to do this, since I only have two temps in the house 65F (basement) and 35F (fridge). To get the 53F, I shut off the fridge completely and left the door open until it hit about 50F. I then closed the door and it kept the temp in extremely well. When the temp rises, I just turn on the fridge for about an hour and turn it off when it hits 50F again. I turned off a heat vent in my basement, which cools the room to about 62F (good enough for me), so I'll let it finish fermenting there. When it's done, I'll crank the fridge back up and get it to lager for the rest of the time at 35F. Not sure if this is the best method, but it'll give you an idea of where to start.
hamiltont
Well-Known Member
I start with the wort ~50F, pitch the yeast and ferment @ ~52F for 2-3 weeks & then raise them up to 58F for 3 days for a diacetyl rest. Then slowly drop the temp 3-4F per day over the next week to ~40F. Then into the keg for lagering @ ~34F for a month or two depending on the beer. Cheers!!!
Mikethepoolguy
Well-Known Member
The 60's are ale temps. You will get beer but it wont truly be a lager more like steam beer. I ferment lagers, pilseners and bocks at 42-55 max degrees. Then lager at 30-35 for as long as I can stand it, usually 2-7 weeks.
Well since I have a way of turning down the temp and controlling it now, will it hurt the lager to lower the temp 10 degrees or so since its already started fermenting for about 4 days now? Could I ruin the beer by dropping the temp quickly after it already started fermenting and then let it finish out a few more days at that temp? Then transfer it over to the secondary and lower the temp again?
Docjowles
Well-Known Member
I just brewed my first lager and did a ton of reading too
Not sure what your sources were but all of those temps are way too high compared to what I read. It will vary by yeast and what flavors you want, but generally I think you want to ferment at 50F and lager in the 30's. 65 is ale yeast temperature and your lager yeast will throw off all sorts of weird flavors. It would be like doing an ale at 80F.Here's the process as I understand it (hopefully someone more experienced will comment!)
1) If you made a big-ass yeast starter, get the wort down to 50F before pitching. If not, go ahead and pitch at like 65 because the heat will stimulate the yeast to grow. You need a LOT of yeast for lagers, 2x as much as ales.
2) Ferment in the low 50's, take a gravity reading every week. When it's 3/4 of the way done, raise the temperature to the low 60's for 48 hours. This is a "diacetyl rest" and makes the yeast clean up after themselves.
3) After those 48 hours, rack to a secondary carboy.
4) Start cooling the carboy a few degrees per day until you're in the 30's. Let it lager there for at least a month, or up to a year(!) if it's a huge high-gravity doppelbock.
Kai from this forum has a really badass wiki article on fermenting lagers, if you want to check it out. That and How To Brew are my sources.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Fermenting_Lagers
edit: of course this is "ideal and if you have infinite time". You can cut corners and probably come out with totally drinkable and tasty beer.
Docjowles
Well-Known Member
Yeast create most of their flavors (good and bad) within the first couple days. So the damage, if any, is already done. I'd say go ahead and drop it the 10 degrees, let it sit another couple weeks, then go ahead with the normal lager process.
It could still be totally fine, won't know til you taste it
Mikethepoolguy
Well-Known Member
What Doc said.
Well hopefully it can still be saved. I'll move her to the mini fridge tonight and drop it in temp. Hopefully it will be alright. Do you think that there is still a need to bother with a diacetyl rest since I really didn't start with it at a low temp? Thanks for the help guys!
michur
Well-Known Member
just reading through real quick (on the bosses dime) but did anybody mention using a swamp cooler? I've used one in the past when i wanted to do a lager and didn't have a dedicated fridge. Worked well to keep it at the right temp.
also make sure to check the recommed temp for the yeast strain and follow that.
also make sure to check the recommed temp for the yeast strain and follow that.
