Rookie needs help with Lager

[mongoose21]

Hi. I'm doing a lager for the first time and think I messed something up. I'm trying to recover without losing the batch. I brewed this batch on 10/12/08 and kept it in the primary fermentor for 2 weeks at 50F. I then moved over to the secondary and stored at 33F, this was on 10/26/08. So it's been about 7 weeks. I removed today thinking it was time to bottle, but as it started warming to room temperature I noticed it really started taking off. It is bubbling like crazy and looks like a normal batch does a day or two after brewing (when fermentation is very active). Hydrometer reading is about 1.020 when it was around 36F. Seems too high to bottle.

My plan is to let it sit at room temperature over night and re-evaluate in the morning. I was going to pitch some dry yeast (ale yeast US05) prior to bottling because I figured the liquid yeast would be useless at this point. I really don't plan on bottling until SG drops to around 1.006, but I must admit I don't normally even use SG when doing a non lager, I just wait the right amount of time and verify it doesn't look active.

I'm looking for any advice. Should I put it back in the refrigerator or is it ok to let it come to room temperature? Should I expect to see it get active like this as it warms up? Should I skip the dry yeast, since it appears to be pretty active?

Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can save this beer!!!

 

[kahunaman]

Did it ever ferment at all? I mean - any chance it went dormant when you pitched and never fermented? That is really crazy man. Wow. 2 months old too...

 

[mongoose21]

I guess it's a possibility that it went dormant. I did see some activity but never anything like I'm used to seeing. I figured that was expected for a lager since it was at colder temps and would have to ferment longer.

Now that I think about it, when I took it out of the colder temperatures to rack it over to the secondary, the activity really increased in the short amount of time it was at room temperature. Is it possible I used the wrong yeast? I don't remember exactly what the yeast was other than it was a liquid yeast and it did fully activate in the bag prior to me using it.

 

[menschmaschine]

Just be sure it isn't CO2 coming out of solution. Beer holds a lot more CO2 in solution at 33°F than it does at 70°F and when you warm it up, it will bubble out. 1.020 is a little high for FG, but not out of the realm of possibility. I'd keep it at room temp for a few days to see if the SG drops at all. That temperature won't do any damage to it at this point. Good luck getting it down to 1.006. I doubt it will get that low even if it's not finished fermenting. Lesson here: always make sure fermentation is complete (hydrometer) before lagering.

 

[mongoose21]

So fermentation should be completely done before dropping to 32-34F? I was under the assumption that it was still fermenting at the lagering temperature and that's why it stayed there for so long. So really I should take my hydrometer readings after the first two weeks... Thanks!

 

[menschmaschine]

The yeast are still "doing things" during lagering, but they aren't really fermenting like in primary. It's not uncommon to lose a point or 2 of SG during lagering, but primary fermentation should still be "done" before lagering.

 

[mongoose21]

So it's been about 12 hours with the lager now at room temperature and SG has dropped to about 1.010. The activity has slowed but is still more than what I would expect to see. Is this normal for a lager or is it possible that this is actually CO2 coming out of solution? Still trying to figure out if I should bottle it now or continue to wait it out.
Thanks again!

 

[Yooper]

Wait until it's completely done- no hydrometer changes at all over the course of at least three days. It's probably just about finished, but it may drop a few more points.

 

[andyb0527]

So it's been about 12 hours with the lager now at room temperature and SG has dropped to about 1.010. The activity has slowed but is still more than what I would expect to see. Is this normal for a lager or is it possible that this is actually CO2 coming out of solution? QUOTE]

If the sg has dropped by ten points its still fermenting and not CO2 coming out of solution. Just let it finish at room temp.

 

[mongoose21]

OK, thank you everyone for your help on this. One last question of clarification:

When it finally finishes at room temperature and I bottle, should I still pitch a packet of dry ale yeast in to help with carbonation? It seems since it is so active now I might not need to add the extra yeast.

Thanks again!

 

[menschmaschine]

OK, thank you everyone for your help on this. One last question of clarification:

When it finally finishes at room temperature and I bottle, should I still pitch a packet of dry ale yeast in to help with carbonation? It seems since it is so active now I might not need to add the extra yeast.

Thanks again!

Doesn't sound like you'll need it.