So I did an experiment and took a Cream Ale recipe and used lager yeast instead to try to make a Cream Lager.
This was my first attempt at a lager, so I was mentally preparing myself for a few bumps along the way. First off, I pitched at too low a temp and probably underpitched. OG was 1.053, so I used one packet of White Labs with no starter. Probably my first mistake right there.
Also, it was the middle of Winter, so when I pitched the wort was at around 45 degrees. Ouch. After about 3 days I'd brought the temp up to low 50s but there was no activity. In a fit of impatience, I bought another packet of yeast and pitched it. It wasn't the same exact strain, but I wouldn't was close (original was German lager and the second was South German lager).
That seemed to do the trick, as I noticed bubbling on the surface and activity after about a day. I chalked it up to the first batch going dormant.
That was on 1/3 and after almost 2 weeks, activity had come and gone. Krausen foamed up nicely but calmly and jslust as gently fell back into the wort. On day 10, I raised the temp up to 60 for a diacetyl rest and held that for a few days. As of today, 1/17, bubbling in the tube was minimal and the surface was pretty clear. I moved it to the secondary and took a reading.
1.02. I was a bit disheartened. I knew I'd done bad things to the yeast, but it seems they'd quit about halfway through the job. After pitching the second batch and keeping it between 50-55 the whole time, I thought for sure it would at least ferment out completely. Not sure what else I did wrong.
But what's done is done and now it's in secondary with the temp going down to 40 for the lagering phase. I suppose a final test when it's done in there will end the story, but I don't think it's going to change during lagering.
This was my first attempt at a lager, so I was mentally preparing myself for a few bumps along the way. First off, I pitched at too low a temp and probably underpitched. OG was 1.053, so I used one packet of White Labs with no starter. Probably my first mistake right there.
Also, it was the middle of Winter, so when I pitched the wort was at around 45 degrees. Ouch. After about 3 days I'd brought the temp up to low 50s but there was no activity. In a fit of impatience, I bought another packet of yeast and pitched it. It wasn't the same exact strain, but I wouldn't was close (original was German lager and the second was South German lager).
That seemed to do the trick, as I noticed bubbling on the surface and activity after about a day. I chalked it up to the first batch going dormant.
That was on 1/3 and after almost 2 weeks, activity had come and gone. Krausen foamed up nicely but calmly and jslust as gently fell back into the wort. On day 10, I raised the temp up to 60 for a diacetyl rest and held that for a few days. As of today, 1/17, bubbling in the tube was minimal and the surface was pretty clear. I moved it to the secondary and took a reading.
1.02. I was a bit disheartened. I knew I'd done bad things to the yeast, but it seems they'd quit about halfway through the job. After pitching the second batch and keeping it between 50-55 the whole time, I thought for sure it would at least ferment out completely. Not sure what else I did wrong.
But what's done is done and now it's in secondary with the temp going down to 40 for the lagering phase. I suppose a final test when it's done in there will end the story, but I don't think it's going to change during lagering.
