Lagering stage question

[ozpt]

Hello guys,

I have a question about lager beer.
My lager is in the fridge, lagering for 3 weeks at 5ºC, and it still bubbles.
I know that my fermentation finished, because i took 3 readings at 1.010, and only moved into the fridge after a diacetyl rest and fermentation has done.
I read that the bubling could be cause of gas or infection. I will see which one is tomorrow.
But, if it's only gas, can I bottle it? Will that increase my risk of bottle explosion?

Thanks in advance

 

[BigFloyd]

That sounds like it's just off-gassing a bit.

What was the OG of your lager? A good rule of thumb is to lager at least one week for every 10 gravity points. A 1.050 OG lager would get 5+ weeks in the cold.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

If a weather front comes through and the atmospheric pressure changes a bit, that can cause some bubbling even if fermentation is done (heck, it can cause it even if there is no beer in the carboy). Bubbles do not equal fermentation.

You did good to check the gravity repeatedly, that is all that matters.

 

[ozpt]

That sounds like it's just off-gassing a bit.

What was the OG of your lager? A good rule of thumb is to lager at least one week for every 10 gravity points. A 1.050 OG lager would get 5+ weeks in the cold.

My OG was 1.032

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

You're confusing fermenting and lagering.

If a sufficient amount of yeast was pitched and it is really at stable final gravity, fermentation is over.

You can safely bottle now if the gravity is stable. However, traditionally you want to rack a lager to a secondary and drop the temperature close to freezing, i.e. lager (a verb) for several weeks. You can bottle and store it in similar cold conditions for a while too, that accomplishes the lagering as well. The longer you lager, the cleaner the beer will be.

 

[ozpt]

You're confusing fermenting and lagering.

If a sufficient amount of yeast was pitched and it is really at stable final gravity, fermentation is over.

You can safely bottle now if the gravity is stable. However, traditionally you want to rack a lager to a secondary and drop the temperature close to freezing, i.e. lager (a verb) for several weeks. You can bottle and store it in similar cold conditions for a while too, that accomplishes the lagering as well. The longer you lager, the cleaner the beer will be.

I know that fermentation is different than lagering, but on the lagering stage (were my beer is), wont the yeast remain active, slowly cleaning the "mess" they have made fermenting?
My only concern is that if the yeast as not finished cleaning and I add sugar for carbonating wont it over-carbonate my beer?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I know that fermentation is different than lagering, but on the lagering stage (were my beer is), wont the yeast remain active, slowly cleaning the "mess" they have made fermenting?
My only concern is that if the yeast as not finished cleaning and I add sugar for carbonating wont it over-carbonate my beer?

Yes, but it is a different sort of yeast activity. Your yeast will continue to break down waste products from the primary ferment, cleaning and improving your beer, but it isn't really converting sugar to alcohol and CO2 anymore.

As I said before, a little bubbling in the airlock isn't impossible even if primary ferment is completed. A weather front, change in temperature, all sorts of things could force a little gas out of the fermenter. If the gravity is truly stable, then the yeast is not producing more CO2 and the sugars are depleted, so it is safe to prime and bottle if you wish.

But, for lagers, it is traditional to rack the beer to a secondary and chill it to an even colder temperature than the primary (close to freezing) to improve clarity and smoothness. You can bottle and do this, but some say it is better to do it in bulk.

 

[ozpt]

Yes, but it is a different sort of yeast activity. Your yeast will continue to break down waste products from the primary ferment, cleaning and improving your beer, but it isn't really converting sugar to alcohol and CO2 anymore.

As I said before, a little bubbling in the airlock isn't impossible even if primary ferment is completed. A weather front, change in temperature, all sorts of things could force a little gas out of the fermenter. If the gravity is truly stable, then the yeast is not producing more CO2 and the sugars are depleted, so it is safe to prime and bottle if you wish.

But, for lagers, it is traditional to rack the beer to a secondary and chill it to an even colder temperature than the primary (close to freezing) to improve clarity and smoothness. You can bottle and do this, but some say it is better to do it in bulk.

OK, i will wait another week and bottle.
Thanks for your help

 

[BigFloyd]

I know that fermentation is different than lagering, but on the lagering stage (were my beer is), wont the yeast remain active, slowly cleaning the "mess" they have made fermenting?
My only concern is that if the yeast as not finished cleaning and I add sugar for carbonating wont it over-carbonate my beer?

It's not so much continuing yeast activity (which is very little if at all) as it is slow bio-chemical reactions happening at the cold temps over time.