First lager, need a few pointers

[Bazz]

Hi all, it's been a while since I posted up, still been brewing though. This winter I'm going to have a crack at a lager, no problems with most of the process but a couple around fermentation and conditioning.

Right, so after the boil and I'm chilling, with all the will in the world I doubt I'll get the wort below 18degC, so do I pitch the yeast straight away and allow the temperature to drop in the brew fridge post pitching, or chill the wort down to 12degC then pitch the yeast?

Also, I have bought 2 packets of Saflager S-23 yeast, now reading the information it looks as though I'll need 4 packets, could I get round this by making a starter? And how much spray malt and water for this?

Towards the end of fermentation do I need to raise the temperature (diactyl rest?)

My plan for conditioning was to remove the beer off of the yeast and keg it, purge the keg with CO2 and then give it 4 weeks back in the brew fridge at close to zero, is this acceptable?

Thanks.

[HTH1975]

If you brew in winter, your tap water should be down to 3-5C easy - mine normally does. I got my lager down to 10C and pitched Saf lager yeast.

I’ve done Kölsch more than lager, just as I prefer it and you also ferment at 16-20C, so no trouble with normal kitchen/cellar temperatures for fermentation.

[gr_baker]

Hi,

I would cool to fermentation temperature before pitching. I've found that 2 packets of yeast are just fine for 25 litres. How big is your batch?

I don't carbonate before lagering, instead doing it in a fermentation bin in the freezer.

[Bazz]

Hi,

I would cool to fermentation temperature before pitching. I've found that 2 packets of yeast are just fine for 25 litres. How big is your batch?

I don't carbonate before lagering, instead doing it in a fermentation bin in the freezer.

Yeah I wasn't going to carbonate, just purge the air out with CO2 and then carbonate after. Do you rack yours off of the yeast before lagering?

And yeah, mine is a 23 litre batch.

[gr_baker]

I do two weeks in primary, add gelatine and leave for a few days then rack off to secondary and lager for 4 weeks.

[Robwalkeragain]

Pitching at 18 won't hurt at all, yeast thrives around body temperature (35c), it just doesn't have desirable fermentation characteristics at that temp. As long as it's down to temperature by the time the yeast is really active it'll be fine.

[Bazz]

Okay then, i got this brewed the other day and apart from being a couple of gravity points out all went well and a happy fermentation is taking place, however when i open the door to the brew fridge there is an unmissable sulphur smell, now i'm sure i've read that this isn't that unusual so i'm not overly concerned at this point, but should i raise the temperature at all at any point or just leave it at 12degC?

Thanks.

[alexlark]

I tend to raise the temp after 5 days to make sure it clears up. The sulfur smell is normal. You know you're making proper lager when you smell it!

[Secla]

i also did the quick lager method of raising the temp after about half the fermentation is done, speeds up the process and didnt seem to affect the flavour at all

[james1988]

I tend to raise the temp after 5 days to make sure it clears up. The sulfur smell is normal. You know you're making proper lager when you smell it!

Absolutely spot on with that comment!

I've just had a bash at a lager myself. There's a thread in the brewday forum detailing how I did mine which may be of some help.

James

[Bazz]

I tend to raise the temp after 5 days to make sure it clears up. The sulfur smell is normal. You know you're making proper lager when you smell it!

Thank you,very reassuring