Thank you Mr. Powers!
I do have a follow-up on #3. When you state "This one didn’t seem to throw as many off flavors/aromas in primary as others I’ve used", do you mean that more diacetyl may be present after primary fermentation? And then it will take a longer diacetyl rest to remove these off flavors? I plan on maker a starter from the factory pouch.
Also, is the main function of Lagering to clarify the beer?
thanks again, Tom
I was stating that this specific yeast seemed to ferment cleaner than others I have used, meaning that there was less diacetyl and sulfur.
A diacetyl rest is only necessary if you can detect those flavors. With a good healthy starter (ie. approx 1 gallon starter for a 5 gallon batch), you probably won't need a diacetyl rest at all. If you do detect some diacetyl, 48 hours at 60-65Fis probably enough to clear it up.
It also helps reduce off flavors if you are able to ramp up the temperature slightly before the yeast are finished fermenting: ie. slow ramp from 50-55 over the course of a 7-10 day primary fermentation compared to a 2 week primary at 50 and then ramping to 65 for 2 days. This means the yeast are still active to clean up rather than having to be reawakened after they are already finished.
There are two main functions of lagering: clarifying and conditioning. Clarifying is pretty self explanatory: dropping out yeast and other clouding agents. Conditioning on the other hand, is the process of the yeast cleaning up off flavors. Therefore, if you get a very healthy primary ferment that doesn't produce many off flavors, you can dramatically shorten the lagering phase without negative effects. You can be drinking lagers as soon as they are clear in a few weeks rather than a few months. People default to saying you should spend 2 months lagering for your average beer, but that isn't always necessary.
**Take all of these guidelines with a grain of salt: my starter estimate of ~ 1 gal for a 5 gal batch is actually meant to convey that you want to pitch approx. 2 to 2.5billion cells per degree plato. This is higher than most yeast calcs recommend, but is becoming more widely accepted as a best practice for lagers. With this type of pitch rate, it is absolutely possible to ferment lagers out in 7 days and have them clear in conditioned in just a couple of weeks.
Edit: Also, lager in primary or in kegs as close to 30F as you can. Do not use a secondary, its unnecessary and just exposes your beer to more oxygen during the transfer.
