Coopers Euro Lager (Perle)

[dasbootfish]

Evening all, I brewed my first lager in mid May and I was wondering if I've messed up. The recipe is below. My main concern is that 4 weeks after bottling it still seems very flat. I appreciate lager needs much longer to condition so is it just a case of being patient. I've sampled 2 bottles and it does seem to have improved slightly after the original sample 2 weeks ago.

Brewed 16/5/15
1 x Coopers Euro Lager
500g Ex light DME
500g Light DME
250g sugar
50g Perle hop tea
Kit yeast added at 19c
Brewed to 20L
Dry hopped at day 9, 50g Perle
Batch primed with 100g sugar and bottled, 5/6/15.
Kept in a fridge since.

Ta.

[Monkeybrew]

Hi DBF

I assume that you are drinking the samples well chilled in the fridge?

You have only primed @5g/L and lagers really need 7-8g/L IMO, because alot of the CO2 gets absorbed into the beer when it's chilled, which is probably why yours seem flat.

Cheers

MB

[dasbootfish]

Bugger, looks like a schoolboy error then....I should stick to my ales. Yeah, straight from the fridge, the hops have worked well...really good taste coming from them, quite subtle. Thanks for that MB, I'll try again soon. Hows your Perle lager going?

[Monkeybrew]

Just try popping one in the fridge for up to an hour and drink it like a German Blonde Ale

My Perle Euro Lager is getting better with a fair bit of age, but I'm not getting through it very quickly which says alot to me!

I still think that I underpitched the lager yeast due to my Heath Robinson stir plate failure.

Saying that, both WalesAles & timbo41 seemed to enjoy it.

Cheers

MB

[timmydog]

If it's been in the fridge since bottling, I'd be inclined to take a few bottles out and leave them somewhere a bit warmer for a week or so then chill before trying.

At least you can get an idea of the potential carbonation that way so you can see if it's worth waiting longer for the other bottles to finish off their fermentation.

[timbo41]

Just try popping one in the fridge for up to an hour and drink it like a German Blonde Ale

My Perle Euro Lager is getting better with a fair bit of age, both WalesAles & timbo41 seemed to enjoy it.

Cheers

MB

Oh yes indeedy, should you require any further assistance......!

[dasbootfish]

Thanks fellas, i'll give that a go and report back.....couple of weeks at room temperature then back in the fridge? Or do I go mad and put them in the conservatory?

[Monkeybrew]

So didn't you do any warm conditioning at all?

Cheers

MB

[timbo41]

That's sort of the assumption I've made on re readinng..straight into fridge for lagering?? Personally I would havee bottled after a dacetyl rest then a cold crash, then left in the warm for a few weeks, then started the lagering at low temp. However I don't do many lagers so that may not be the best way

[dasbootfish]

I left it at room temp for about two weeks then chucked the lot in the fridge, its bottled in 330ml clear San Miguel bottles. Its still early days I suppose, who knows, maybe a slim chance yet. I've put it back into room temp.

[WalesAles]

My Perle Euro Lager is getting better with a fair bit of age,

Saying that, both WalesAles & timbo41 seemed to enjoy it.

MB

dbf,
This is not meant as a Thread Hijack, but Monkeybrews` Perle Lager was Very Nice, with a great aftertaste!

WA