Leaping to Lagers

[dutch101st]

I have several AG ales under my belt now...at a good friends behest, I am looking at doing a lager.

Now, I have done my homework and have done all the reading I can do...with that, I want to put it to you more experienced brewers :rockin: before making that final leap

What do I reallyy need to know about lagering? I know there is the difference with the yeast strains (ales vs lagers), longer time fermenting and that there needs to be a lower temp.

I am using a refridgerator on a temp controller to keep things steady. Do I need to primary then rack to a secondary?

What pitfalls are there?

Thanks everyone...all the help on here has made me a better brewer, but I really have a LONG ways to go...

 

[pompeiisneaks]

Lagers require a more cool temperature, 50ish degrees vs 60ish. You have a fridge w/ temp controller and that is half the battle. Then you need to lager the beer after primary fermentation for a few months. The bigger the beer the longer you should lager. You may also want to add in a diacetyl rest after primary fermentation before secondary lagering. Thats the major difference. I was a bit afraid of it but read up on the wiki on how to do it, as well as here on the forums and it went perfectly. I've now made two differnet batches of a vienna lager and one pilsner, all three batches were great. I still prefer ales myself but do enjoy those lagers as well.

 

[oldschool]

From reading Noonan's text I would recommend collecting your wort in the fermenter (settling tank) , then chilling over night to nearly freezing and racking off 100% clear wort to the actual fermenter before pitching the yeast. German brewers are extremely anal about crystal wort. Some even employ "floatation" tanks where they will bubble oxygen through cold wort which floats the cold break and hops to the top then will rack from the bottom of the tank. They do it for flavor reasons not final beer clarity. My feeble word of advise.

 

[jjones17]

I make 'lagers' using liquid lager yeast but I do not bother lagering, I just bottle condition. Tastes great!