Lagering benefits while carbonated

[rdkopp0153]

Hi,
I lagered a Maibock in the carboy at 35F for 4 weeks, transferred to a keg and carbonated. The beer tastes ok now, my question is, will the benefits of lagering (ie diacetyl reduction, smoothness) continue to improve with aging/lagering even when the beer is fully carbonated and eventually turn to a "great" beer rather than ok? If benefits do continue, do I have to "burp" the keg on occasion? I did a diacetyl rest at the end of fermention, don't taste much, just a little.
Thanks

 

[helibrewer]

To a point. The less yeast, the longer the process, particularly with diacetyl. Not all beers should be aged. The lower the SG, the less value from aging. I'm guessing your Maibock is in the mid 60's-to-low-70's for SG. That beer can probably do nicely lagered for a couple of months and consumed with 6 months.

You do not have to burp the keg.

 

[rdkopp0153]

But being under carbonation in the keg shouldn't hinder those benefits? Would the benefits increase if it were just lagering in a carboy? Or same same.
Yes, OG was 1.070.

 

[Cyclman]

It will, slightly, as pressure stresses yeast. But probably not noticeably. Lagers are bottle aged all the time, big breweries age in huge fermenters with tons of pressure.

 

[daksin]

Lagering will not reduce diacetyl- you need active yeast to do that. Lagering's benefits are physical in nature (e.g. dropping out polyphenols due to low solubility at cold temperatures) rather than chemcial (yeast digesting diacetyl).

 

[Yooper]

Lagering will not reduce diacetyl- you need active yeast to do that. Lagering's benefits are physical in nature (e.g. dropping out polyphenols due to low solubility at cold temperatures) rather than chemcial (yeast digesting diacetyl).

I don't know if it "won't" at all, but in my experience lagering makes diacetyl worse, not better.

But polyphenols and yeast do drop out during lagering. Pressure, as in c02, doesn't seem to affect that.

 

[StMarcos]

As I understand it, the yeast aren't doing anything during lagering. That is, if the ferment is well finished before you drop the temp. I'm sure the yeast participate if you use the technique in Noonan's book (slowly dropping temp BEFORE fermentation is finished), but I doubt many homebrewers use that method.

I think the lagering benefits are from reactions and precipitation that don't involve yeast action. Precipitating the less flocculant lager strains is certainly going on though....

 

[pjj2ba]

As I understand it, the yeast aren't doing anything during lagering. That is, if the ferment is well finished before you drop the temp. I'm sure the yeast participate if you use the technique in Noonan's book (slowly dropping temp BEFORE fermentation is finished), but I doubt many homebrewers use that method.

I think the lagering benefits are from reactions and precipitation that don't involve yeast action. Precipitating the less flocculant lager strains is certainly going on though....

That is my understanding as well. The yeast are pretty much dormant. The "things" that are happening during lagering are chemical and physical in nature.

 

[thebeers54]

I Lager in the keg (while force carbing) and have noticed a great deal of improvement in the beer over time. By week 4-6 in the keg I feel like it's at it's peak deliciousness. This for me means the beer is around 3 months old. My process is diacetyl rest as active ferm is winding down. Bring the temp back down to ferm temp. Then I rack to secondary a couple weeks later, let it be for about another 3-4 weeks to get it really clear. Then keg. I have done 5 or so lagers like this and they have all been great!