Lager technique

[Sasquatch]

I did up an Alexander Keith's clone (no Budweiser clone available ) as my first lager. Primary fermentation at about 14 C went well. Krausen died back after a week, but steady bubbling in airlock. I racked to secondary after three weeks. No krausen but still some airlock activity. I rested it for about 24 hours, then stuck er in the fridge. Has been there for a little over a week.

Tasted the thing today, and it's coming fabulously, but it's still a bit sweet. Grav is currently 1.018.

So.... did I rack too early (yes, is my guess). Will it finish in the fridge, or do I need to warm it back up and then cold condition again?

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

While I'm not great at converting C to F It sounds like 3 weeks in the primary at that temp should have been fine. How long were you planning on lagering iiin the secondary? I usually let mine go about a month. But I also only keep them in the primary for a week.

 

[Sasquatch]

It sat in primary at something like 58 F for three weeks. I can lager as long as I want... fridge space not really an issue. I just don't want to be lagering in vain for a month and then need to finish fermenting after that. I was surprised at how long it took. That was with Morgan's Lager yeast. Dry pitch, but it came up to speed real good, and had good krausen after 30 hrs.

 

[Kaiser]

I did up an Alexander Keith's clone (no Budweiser clone available ) as my first lager. Primary fermentation at about 14 C went well. Krausen died back after a week, but steady bubbling in airlock. I racked to secondary after three weeks. No krausen but still some airlock activity. I rested it for about 24 hours, then stuck er in the fridge. Has been there for a little over a week.

Tasted the thing today, and it's coming fabulously, but it's still a bit sweet. Grav is currently 1.018.

So.... did I rack too early (yes, is my guess). Will it finish in the fridge, or do I need to warm it back up and then cold condition again?

How much yeast and at what themperature did you pitch?
But 14C (being on the upper level for lager yeast) should have been warm enough for even a low pitching rate to work well. How did you aerate?

Kai

 

[Sasquatch]

I pitched a "pack" which is either 5 or 7 grams, dry, no starter. I don't think aeration is a problem... I've never had any issues - I top up batches with the spray nozzle on the sink (sanitized) and get a hella froth.

There are stories on this board and others about lagers taking like 7 weeks in primary. This one got up to a good start and then chugged along real good for a week or two, and slowed down dramatically. I did a diacetyl rest, but I think I could have done it for longer, just to make sure all the fermentables were gone. I suspect that this batch will be fine, but it may just take a long time in the fridge. I'll take another grav reading next week and see wtf its doing.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Alexander Keith's is an IPA man. You're tempting the fates by lagering. Hairy fool.

 

[Kaiser]

Well, assuming that this was an extract receipe, did the instructions mention a FG? This way you could know how close you actually are. With my largers I made the experience that they are rather sensitive to pitching rate. The first one was a 1.065 bock with no starter and insufficient aeration. It was still bubbling after 3 weeks. I even bottled with just half the DME necessary since I figured that there is still enough extract left. It tunrned out just fine once it was bottled and 2 months old (elevated levels of esters though)

The latest one, a 1.078 doppelbock, was pitched with 2 cups of yeast that I collected from a primary and recharged with O2 in a starter. Primary fermentation at 50F was done within less 12 days.

Since it is still bubbling you fermentation is not stuck. Time is on your side
Kai

 

[Sasquatch]

Oh Cheyco, your sarcasm hits like a hammer on hot steel.

No instructions at all with the kit, Kai. I mentioned it to Morgan's and they sent me a real bitchy email in reply. Let's say that a reasonable expectation for an extract kit is 1.005 to 1.010, so I'm getting close, but it's still a bit sweet to the taste.

I'm really just curious as to whether that yeast will do any more work in the fridge, or if I need to warm the thing up. I'll check SG in a week and that will tell me, I suppose. Time is on my side, for sure. The brew is clean, tastes good, and really, I'm just nervous about my first lager and looking for a hug here at HBtalk.

 

[Mikey]

I'm not sure that the yeast you used is a true lager yeast- I know it's labeled as a lager yeast but I've heard that it's really a neutral ale yeast. I'd like to see what it could do under more typical lager tmeps (10*C in the primary)

In any case you're making a pretty light beer so it won't matter much.

 

[Sasquatch]

Mikey, you voice exactly what a suspect and fear. I think Morgan's has given a yeast that is supposedly "clear" at ale fermentation temps. Time will tell. If that thing won't ferment in the fridge at all, I'll warm er up and finish the job then cold condition again.

I am currenlty brewing a batch with that morgan's yeast and treating it like an ale, just to see what happens.

 

[boo boo]

Talking with some aussie friends on the net has informed me that indeed Morgans has come out with a lager yeast. I have used the pack that came with some kits (light blue package) that says lager on it and my notes on it are..slightly yeasty with fruity flavor. It finished with 1015 FG. But that was last year. I buy quality yeast now.