Lagering questions for a Noble Pils

[bthomas9]

Hey Everyone, for my next brew I purchased the Noble Pils kit from AHS, with Saflager 2-23 yeast. I was torn on how to approach this kit, since it's a lager (and I don't have proper lagering facilities). I have a mini-fridge, and limited space in the kitchen fridge. I think I have 3 options after getting the wort cooled to pitching temps...

1: Ferment in a cool corner of basement, about 62 degrees. Leave in primary for 3-4 weeks,rest, prime and bottle. This should be similar to the Cali Steam style

2: All of #1 plus 2-3 months in fridge after conditioning.

3: Use a corny key as a secondary and toss it in my buddies fridge for the 2-3 month lager period, then bottle.

Anyone else have thoughts or options for this?

Thanks in advance.

--Brian

 

[Skyforger]

You can only ferment at 62 degrees? This seems to me the most important part. If you can do any lower, do so.

As far as lagering goes, you the recipe is (I believe) a pretty hop-intensive one, so lagering is less important than usual; the hops cover a lot of the flavors that smooth out in lagering. That said, 2-3 weeks at cold temperatures will really help the malt and bittering qualities of the beer. This will be a more important step if you in fact ferment in the low 60's rather than the low 50's. So I would lager for at least a while, in whichever setup is more convenient.

 

[jafo28]

If your basement is 62 you could put the fermenter in a large cooler or bucket with water and throw in some frozen bottles of water to get the temps down a bit more. I can't take credit for the idea, I think Yooper suggested it in another thread.

 

[waldoar15]

You could always switch the yeast out for 2112 or Kolsch. They will both produce a pretty clean, crisp beer.

 

[rocketman768]

You need to get that lager fermenting at 53F. 62F is not going to cut it. Just as important is getting the beer down to nearly freezing for a month or two. The whole point of lager is that the cool fermenting temps that are impossible with ale yeast make a much cleaner tasting beer. Noble Pils is a beer that requires a very clean character, otherwise the subtle hop flavors and aromas will be lost.

 

[PVH]

Like jafo said. My basement is 59-60 in the winter and I have no trouble using the ice bath method to keep fermentation temps around 50. If you can do that for ~2 weeks and then lager in your friend's fridge, you're good to go.

 

[bthomas9]

I think I'll try the ice/water bath idea, since the temperate change would not be that much (~ 10 deg). should water be covering the entire fermenter, or just the cake at the bottom-ish? I may also try the garage...but am hesitant due to the temperature fluctuation. It was 60 on Friday, now it's 20...gotta love NE Ohio!

Also, I noticed that the California Common uses the same yeast at ale temperatures, will that just contribute a different flavor..and potentially mask the subtle hop flavors as rocketman stated?

Brian

 

[PVH]

I think I'll try the ice/water bath idea, since the temperate change would not be that much (~ 10 deg). should water be covering the entire fermenter, or just the cake at the bottom-ish?

I fill up at least as high as I can without floating the fermenter. I don't know exactly how much you need in there to be sure that the water temp is the same as the temp inside the fermenter. In any event, a larger volume will change temperature more slowly, so once you get at the right temp, keeping it stable should be simpler.

But take this scientific-sounding advice with a grain of salt. I was an English major.

 

[bthomas9]

But take this scientific-sounding advice with a grain of salt. I was an English major.

But you brew now, so that's all that matters...programming here.

I have one of the bucket fermenters with the valve on it...just have to remember to sanitize good after the water. Hell, the water may end up being sanitizer.

 

[foreigngreg]

I brew lager and have no fridge for it, I think maybe living in a colder country helps though. I ferment in the basement about 10°C, and then put the fermenter outside in a tub of water (lager in primary, no secondary).

The mass of the tub of water will stop it droping under 0 as it takes a lot of cold to freeze the water, once i see ice on it I just scrape it up and add some more water. This way I basically end up lagering around 1-0°C, beer turns out great.

This may not work for you depending on where you live though...

 

[billf2112]

I am in week 2 of the second stage of lagering in my basement. I have a clost that can stay in the mid 50s during the colder weather. I had a big tub, put the carboy in it and filled it with water half way up the carboy (do not want it floating). I put 3 frozen water filled 2 liter soda bottles in it. I have it at a steady 40 degrees. 3 more weeks and I should have a really nice brew.

Keep it on the floor (floor is colder), keep changing the bottles of frozen water (if it gets warmer I am prepared to change them 3 times a day). It wouldn't be hard to create a lagering chamber by keeping it in the coldest corner of the basement and covering in with a thick blanket to keep the warm out. If you have the funds buying some cheap wood and a sheet of foam insulation can make a good temperature barrier. Make a box and put it over the brew.

 

[bthomas9]

I may be able to do that where I live...good idea.

Do you leave it in the primary for the lagering phase? Does it leave off-flavors due to sitting on the yeast cake?

 

[boo boo]

, once i see ice on it I just scrape it up and add some more water. This way I basically end up lagering around 1-0°C, beer turns out great.

This may not work for you depending on where you live though...

What a fantastic idea.

 

[foreigngreg]

Yeah i leave it in the primary, really just because im lazy, I have not detected any real off flavours but at the same time have nothing to campare up against. I figured that since every time i transfer i get some oxygen to it i might as well not bother

Should probably try one day to do 2 batches, one lager in primary one in secondary to see how it interacts.

 

[billf2112]

I put it in a secondary. I know many here do not use secondaries anymore, but being it was going to be sitting for so long I wanted to reduce any off flavors.

 

[Skyforger]

Moving to secondary isn't a bad idea with a beer this size. I think if you're letting it sit more than 4-6 weeks or so a secondary is prudent. Anyways, I've heard tell that off-flavors are more apt to develop from letting lagers sit too long on the yeast than they are with ales.