lager ?s did I screw up?

[springer]

I brewed an October fest lager on Sunday.

I made a starter(first attempt)on Tuesday started with WLP820 and 2 cups of 1.040 wort. I let this go at room temp till Thursday and added another 2 cups wort it was very active. I put it in the fridge on Saturday. Sunday morning I decanted the wort.And let it warm to room temp 65*

The brew went well I overshot my OG- after boil I ended up at 1.070 instead of 1.064 for 5 gallons. Not a problem. I cooled the wort to 70* in about 20 min (tap water at 57*) I would say the wort cooled a few by the time I trans to the better bottle as it was 58* degrees outside. I aerated with O2 for about 90 seconds. Lots of foam I then pitched the yeast. I the put the carboy in my fridge at 54* and set the temp control to 50* where it was at this am. There is some foam on the surface but that could be from the aeration still. Airlock is doing nothing.

This is my first lager and I have the feeling that I may have shocked the yeast. Should I raise the temp to get her going?

 

[Yooper]

I'm not quite following- you pitched 68 degree yeast into 70 degree wort, then placed it in the fridge at 50 degrees? So it would have gradually cooled from 70 to 50? It might have been only 58 outside, but that wouldn't cool it off very much.

Remember, lagers are bottom fermenting, so you don't typically see a big krausen. I'd say wait it out. You don't want to raise the temperature again, and then drop it again.

 

[springer]

thanks Yooper.

You have it right I pitched the 68* starter into the 70* wort and threw it into the fridge. I notice on the 820 that ideal is 52-58* but I assumed (bad thing) that the fermentation would heat the beer a few degrees. I'll just let it sit and not look at it. Hard to do since the door on the fridge is tinted glass it's really a wine cooler and I can set it from 41* -60* with the factory thermostat . Hold's a 6 gallon carboy and then some .

 

[TexLaw]

Lager yeasts can take a little longer to get going. You only pitched yesterday, so the yeast may not have gotten the fermentation into gear, yet. I imagine they are doing something in there, though.


TL

 

[springer]

I guess I just need to RDWHAHB .... damn I'm at work

 

[springer]

Well I should learn to relax this is what I came home to last night

This morning it was an inch thicker

 

[Yooper]

See what difference having a beer makes! Your lager knew you weren't obsessing over it, so it decided to get to work.

Looks great.

 

[springer]

I opened the lagerater last night to put in a starter I made for Sunday's brew and man did it smell .... rotten eggs which I know is quite normal for lagers.

SWMBO yells from the kitchen "I think The dogs need to go out one of them is farting something fierce"


I just chuckled and let them out.

 

[WBC]

That smell is why my stuff is in the garage. People who don't brew can not understand how that smell can be associated to good beer and don't want it in the house. That Lager looks mighty good to me. Mmmmmm

 

[springer]

I racked to the secondary last night . OG 1.070 - last night was at 1.023 after 18 days @ 49* Target is 1.017. Not one hint of Diacetyl the beer was clean and actually quite chrisp. I decided to use the schedule D in Kaisers link from last night
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=68090&page=2.

I will take the temp down over the next few days till it is 35* or so and leave it for 4-6 weeks . Hope to have all my kegging equipment by then really dont want to bottle ...

 

[springer]

Been 7 weeks since the start of lagering it finished at 1.019 just .002 higher than the target. I have everything to keg but the CO2 tank and reg so it more than likely will sit in the lagerator another 2-3 weeks. I get paid monthly This beer tastes great and is super clear albeit it’s a dark Lager. I'll post a picture next week.


I guess it can only do it good to lager more

 

[cheezydemon]

Yeah, not to make you feel bad, but Oktoberfests, or Maerzens were traditionally started in March and lagered and conditioned until September. A few extra weeks will do it good!

Next year plan on brewing one in March. It is a highlight for me every year as we near the end of winter.

 

[springer]

I dont plan on drinking it till end of Sept anyways.


And traditionaly it was stored in caves in wood casks. I dont think any brew you get in Germany during oktoberfest will have been sitting since March.But thats what heppens new equpment and yeast lets you have more of a curve.