Wlp830 d-rest question again

[discokid2k]

So before we start, this is my 2nd true lager. I have brewed for 8 or so years and consider myself relatively knowledgeable. I have done many pseudo lagers but this only my 2nd lager ever, sad I know. That being said, I have read way to many threads and have spent too much time studying beer, much to the shegrin of my dog. I have a basic question that I hope someone else has experienced below.

The facts: made a lager on Saturday, 8/13. OG was 1.050, hit my marks exactly. Made a 3l starter (3 steps) for the brew. Used wlp830 because I liked it from the first lager I made. Chilled wort to 50 and pitched, kept the temp at 52, so the excess fermentation heat would stay around 55.

I checked the gravity today 8/17 and it came out to 1.013, and my fg should be 1.012. I know this yeast generally requires a d-rest so I ramped up the temp to 65, hopefully for just 24-48 hrs depending on the taste.

Question: both lagers I have made have used wlp830 and both times, about 5 days into the primary when I check my gravity, I have sailed clear past the 75% mark recommended for d-rest. I have read that if the starter is large enough, its no big deal. I have also read a president Trump will make America great again😳. Either way, I'm not 100% on either point. 830 is known to be a slow starter but my experience has been the opposite. Any advice for a novice lager maker?

 

[SanPancho]

drest is really only necessary if your strain tends to produce alot of diacetyl. (not familiar with 830) we check by filling small cup with beer, covering it with plate, and nuking it in microway for 40-50 secs. if there was any diacetyl formed you'll definitely smell it when you take the plate off the beer.

if you dont smell it, you dont need the drest.

although- raising the temp when you still have active yeast in solution can also help bring down those last few gravity points. so its not "just" for diacetyl, it can also help the yeast finish up and clean up. if you dont have any diacetyl to worry about, then its just personal preference on whether you want add a few days to schedule for drest, or just go straight to cold crashing and lagering.

 

[dmtaylor]

Boy are you in a hurry. Only 4 days in the fermenter and you think it's done already? I just used WLP830 in two marzens and they took about 10 days to finish. I did a diacetyl rest on both for almost a week when gravity hit 1.025 but still got diacetyl in one batch but not the other. I have no idea why. But it's slight and I'm confident that it will fade within 2-3 weeks.

Your prescription is to be patient. Give it a month at cellar temps (not too cold!) and the diacetyl should be gone. Patience!

 

[discokid2k]

Boy are you in a hurry. Only 4 days in the fermenter and you think it's done already? I just used WLP830 in two marzens and they took about 10 days to finish. I did a diacetyl rest on both for almost a week when gravity hit 1.025 but still got diacetyl in one batch but not the other. I have no idea why. But it's slight and I'm confident that it will fade within 2-3 weeks.

Your prescription is to be patient. Give it a month at cellar temps (not too cold!) and the diacetyl should be gone. Patience!

Oh I know the patience aspect. I was checking at the five day mark due to my last experience. I was more shocked that it was almost completely down to fg range. I plan on leaving it in primary for at least another ten days and lagering for at least a month. If not longer. I have made it a habit to lager all my beers for clarity and to let the flavor mellow.

I am tempted to try the microwave trick suggested by SanPancho. I have read that breweries do this but I had never thought of it at home.

 

[Yooper]

Oh I know the patience aspect. I was checking at the five day mark due to my last experience. I was more shocked that it was almost completely down to fg range. I plan on leaving it in primary for at least another ten days and lagering for at least a month. If not longer. I have made it a habit to lager all my beers for clarity and to let the flavor mellow.

I am tempted to try the microwave trick suggested by SanPancho. I have read that breweries do this but I had never thought of it at home.

That happens to me, too. If you pitch the proper amount of yeast at the proper temperature, it does tend to finish in 5-7 days. You can do the d-rest now, as a matter of course, even if you don't detect diacetyl. It can't hurt, might help. Sometimes a d-rest isn't strictly necessary, but it never hurts.

 

[discokid2k]

Thanks for the advice Yooper. I have read thousands of your threads and I trust/appreciate your input.

I wanted to check it a day earlier when my closet smelled like massive egg farts coming from the fermentation fridge but work got the better of me.