New Member Intro

[dcn]

Hello! This is my first post after two years of reading this forum for advice after I started home brewing. I've gained a TON of knowledge by using 'site:www.homebrewtalk.com' + search term, there's so much here I haven't needed to register but thought I would to say hi and thanks.

I have a process to run by people if I can - I'm doing my first lager, a pre made (Festa Brew) wort kit. I'm about a year away from a keezer build, within the last month I've realized how bottling has kind of been a burden considering I can sanitize one vessel vs 60, force carbonate, HAVE BEER ON TAP AT MY HOUSE(!!) etc etc.

Here's my plan for review:
I currently plan to use my InkBird controller in my wine fridge to cool my wort to about 58F (I've got S-23 and read it can be fruity flavoured at traditional lager temps), re hydrate two packets, cool the yeast liquid to 58F and pitch. I'll do a gravity check after two weeks and see what things look like and I intend to bottle after around 3 weeks in primary like my ales.

(Finally...) my question concerns lagering/conditioning/carbonating.. With my ales, I'd just go from primary to bottling bucket, bottle, and not open one for three weeks. For my lager I'm going to crank my wine fridge and lager at its coldest temp, about 44F, which barely qualifies. After a few weeks I'll pitch maybe 1/4 packet of S-23 and prime and bottle, sit for 3 weeks then store cold. Should that work ok? It's killing me not having a keezer yet and making me think I should have just stuck with ales till then since I know I could have just dialed the wine fridge to ferment temp but lagered for real in a keezer and not worried about priming ever again..

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Welcome to the light of day! Great first post!

Many of us use a Quick Lager technique, of which there are several variations, but essentially involve pitching a huge amount of yeast into a cooler than normal wort, 48-53F, then ramping up the temperature gradually during fermentation, followed by chilling back down to cold-condition. Rather than using the calendar, use your tastebuds and nose. You want to raise the temp long enough to let the yeast clear up any diacetyl, and condition long enough to clean up any sulphur. I don't bother adding yeast at priming, even for my doppelbocks - it just may take longer to carb up.

One specific Quick Lager method can be found at Brulosophy: http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

 

[dcn]

Thanks! I'll give that a read. I'm actually nervous how this is going to turn out just like I was with my first ever batch, so I want a mental rehearsal or two before I kick things off. I'm down to 3-4 batches before I kiss this whole bottling thing bye bye so I want to finish strong.

 

[schatzke]

Just remember to put your bottles somewhere warmer so they can carb up and then you can stick them pack into the fridge to continue lagering.

 

[dcn]

Got it i think?: Cool fermentation start with a gradual temp raise, followed by a cool down phase, then prime and bottle, bottles go room temp for say 3 weeks or so then back into cold for a month+ lager/condition?

I'll admit I haven't finished reading that link yet (I'm at work but brewing's on my mind!) but it looks extremely clear and concise and is directed at bottling or kegging. Thanks very much folks.

 

[dcn]

Ok I'm back! Thanks so much for that link, BIB. Fiendishly simple!

I'm going to struggle to get my wine fridge down to that lagering temp though. I can do about 44.5. Can I maybe wait longer for it to clear whatever I can manage at my achievable temps?