breckenridge
Lurker
The answer is probably RDWAHAHB as usual, but thought I'd throw this out there:
So, I made my 2nd lager a few weeks ago (1st is a Marzen I made in July, not to be tapped for a couple weeks yet). This one is a Munich Helles. I let it go down to about 1.020-ish (from 1.046-ish, don't have notes in front of me), gave it a diacetyl rest for 3 days at 60F (or was it 65F? I should go check my notes, but I'm already in my pajamas), then racked into a sanitized corney and put that straight into the lagering fridge, sitting at 35F.
Anyway, the point is: How might I have hurt this beer by not stepping it down from D-rest temp to lager temp? The Marzen I brought down about 5F daily, in accordance with what I've read around these parts. Seems like maybe the quick temp change could maybe cost me a few SG points if the yeast flocc out too quick? Also, might they not "clean up" like lagers are supposed to do since I cold-shocked them?
Since putting that keg in the lagering chest, I pulled the release valve at least every 3rd day (usually every day), and I got a whoosh of CO2 each time for about 2 weeks. I haven't taken another SG reading, but the whoosh is encouraging.
I'll know in a couple weeks how it turns out - samples tasted out of this world - but was hoping to get some anticipatory guidance from the collective wisdom out there.
So, I made my 2nd lager a few weeks ago (1st is a Marzen I made in July, not to be tapped for a couple weeks yet). This one is a Munich Helles. I let it go down to about 1.020-ish (from 1.046-ish, don't have notes in front of me), gave it a diacetyl rest for 3 days at 60F (or was it 65F? I should go check my notes, but I'm already in my pajamas), then racked into a sanitized corney and put that straight into the lagering fridge, sitting at 35F.
Anyway, the point is: How might I have hurt this beer by not stepping it down from D-rest temp to lager temp? The Marzen I brought down about 5F daily, in accordance with what I've read around these parts. Seems like maybe the quick temp change could maybe cost me a few SG points if the yeast flocc out too quick? Also, might they not "clean up" like lagers are supposed to do since I cold-shocked them?
Since putting that keg in the lagering chest, I pulled the release valve at least every 3rd day (usually every day), and I got a whoosh of CO2 each time for about 2 weeks. I haven't taken another SG reading, but the whoosh is encouraging.
I'll know in a couple weeks how it turns out - samples tasted out of this world - but was hoping to get some anticipatory guidance from the collective wisdom out there.
