Question about Lagering processa

[HopHead10]

Hi All!

Brewed my first oktoberfest:

I had it in a primary bucket for 12 days at 55 deg (I believe it was consistent temp, but did not use one of those Johnson Control Electronic Single Stage Temp control sensors).

Now I have it at room temp for a diacetyl rest, still in the primary bucket. I plan to keep it at this temp for around 4-5 days. Then I will lager

Questions on next steps:
1) What temp to lager at?
2) Should I transfer to secondary glass carboy first?
3)Do I need to add more yeast? ... I only used one packet on bavarian lager yeast but it appeared to be quite active during primary at 55 deg.
4) Should I purchase a single stage temp control sensor? Is it worth it??

Thanks for any help!!

 

[LLBeanJ]

1) Lager in the low to mid-30s.
2) Yes, transfer to glass carboy prior to crashing and be sure to fill clear to the neck, or better yet, if you keg, transfer to a keg and seal with CO2 because when you chill the beer, it's going to create a vacuum and suck O2 (and airlock liquid) into your carboy.
3) If you bottle, then you probably will need to add more yeast at bottling. The longer you lager, the more likely it will be necessary to re-yeast. If kegging, no.
4) Yes, it's worth it.

 

[HopHead10]

Great thanks! I will keg then... what do you mean seal with co2? Put it on gas? What psi while layering? Can I just drink it as it lagers haha

 

[McKnuckle]

Can I just drink it as it lagers haha

Not funny at all - of course you can do that!

I do, and I'm sure others do as well. If you're going to package in a keg, then there's no need for a secondary vessel in between primary and the keg. Cold crash the primary (optional) for a couple of days, then rack to your keg, put it on gas, and let it sit in your keezer if you have room. You can hook it up to the tap whenever you like and experience first-hand how lagering changes flavor/appearance over time. It's quite enlightening.

 

[HopHead10]

Great!!! Looking forward to this!!!

 

[LLBeanJ]

Great thanks! I will keg then... what do you mean seal with co2? Put it on gas? What psi while layering? Can I just drink it as it lagers haha

Yeah, put it on gas at whatever PSI you use to carbonate. My lager process is usually...

1) Pitch yeast and ferment @ 52° for about 5 days
2) Check to see if krausen is clearing and if it is, raise ambient temp to 65° and hold for about 4 days.
3) Take a gravity reading and check for diacetyl. If at FG and no diacetyl, set ambient temp to 34° and hold for a week (I back-purge with CO2 while crashing to keep from pulling in O2 as the beer temp drops).
4) Keg, move to tap, and carbonate like any other beer. A couple days later, I'm drinking it. It will improve as it lagers on tap.

 

[Morrey]

Not funny at all - of course you can do that!

I do, and I'm sure others do as well. If you're going to package in a keg, then there's no need for a secondary vessel in between primary and the keg. Cold crash the primary (optional) for a couple of days, then rack to your keg, put it on gas, and let it sit in your keezer if you have room. You can hook it up to the tap whenever you like and experience first-hand how lagering changes flavor/appearance over time. It's quite enlightening.

Very true....you sound like me! I'll keg a lager and put it in my temp controlled freezer on CO2 and let it ride at 35F. Its interesting to sample along the way (picnic tap for me) to see how the beer mellows and becomes smooth as it lagers. I love to "test" it along the way until it hits the perfect notes, or "comes of age" as I call it.

 

[HopHead10]

@LLbean , I don't really understand step #3 above. I dont usually take readings or understand how to check diacetyl. I'm currently in diacetyl rest and will be until Friday when I will rack to keg, give it a day at 35, put it on gas at 12 psi and try it as it lagers, probably a couple pints for the first two weekends until it's at its best. Is this acceptable

 

[Morrey]

Put it on gas? What psi while layering?

Since "lagering" or cold conditioning can be a semi-lengthy process over several (or more) weeks, I apply CO2 at 12-13 psi aka the set and forget carbing method. There is no real urgency to burst carb unless you simply want to play around. Basically, set and forget carbing is setting your CO2 at serving pressure and leave it be. It may take a couple of weeks for the beer to carb up with this method, but you have ample time since the real goal is conditioning.

 

[LLBeanJ]

@LLbean , I don't really understand step #3 above. I dont usually take readings or understand how to check diacetyl. I'm currently in diacetyl rest and will be until Friday when I will rack to keg, give it a day at 35, put it on gas at 12 psi and try it as it lagers, probably a couple pints for the first two weekends until it's at its best. Is this acceptable

Yes, that would be fine. If you don't usually take gravity readings, then don't worry about it. I like to do it mainly to see where it finished and to taste it, which is how I check for the presence of diacetyl. It's not foolproof, as diacetyl can show up later, but it's something. There is a more reliable way (Google "diacetyl force test"), but if I don't taste any, then I call it good and keg it.

 

[HopHead10]

Awesome thanks for all the help guys! Can't wait to drink this throughout the month!