Pre-pressurizing Pressure-Fermented Lagers?

[Clint Yeastwood]

Tonight I put a pilsner and crystal malt lager (wort) in a Torpedo keg with a Blowtie 2 spunding valve in a freezer at 67 degrees.

I have read that the first day of a fermentation is important for esters, and pressure keeps esters down, so I pumped in 10 psi of CO2.

Good idea?

 

[eliastheodosis]

I haven't played with pressure ferments much but I know some people doing it in kegs hit it with a little head pressure to seat the lid. It doesn't seem to be a problem for them, at least for some yeast. I say no foul. As far as esters I don't think it can hurt.

 

[odie]

I haven't bothered. Just pitch yeast and close lid. pressure starts building soon (keg lube on lid oring)

occasionaly I will have to shake the keg after fermentation starts to break co2 out of the beer to encourage the lid to seal.

but it's probably best to give it a little blast to seat the lid. But it still might unseat as the wort absorbs the headspace co2 while waiting for the yeast to start producing co2.

 

[Jim R]

I don't think it matters either way but I usually pressurize my fermenter to the desired pressure just to dial in my spunding valve to the correct pressure right away.

 

[odie]

I would say you are correct...very little difference.

even starting unpressurized, the co2 production should seal the lid pretty quick and pressure then build almost immediately. any "esters" would be bare minimum at most.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Some people say ester production is very prolific in the first 24 hours.

 

[odie]

well, pressurize it then...

or keep it at lager fermentation temps until the natural CO2 seals the lid? then let it rise to ale temps?

really, just hook up a CO2 bottle and set it just enough to seat the oring. Once the fermentation kicks of you can pull the bottle and install a spunding valve.

 

[Bassman2003]

Yes. More pressure up front makes the beer cleaner. If you are 67F, then you need all of the help you can get for lager-ness. A lot of variables with pressure fermentation and initial pressure is a big one. Word of caution, while this surpresses esters, it also puts more strain on your yeast. So higher pressure early = more healthy yeast needed.