Lager questions

[james_m_r]

Glad to hear it, although I was not too concerned. I am not making watches after all

[sparky Paul]

I've started a lager off too, long range weather forecast was for for a cold spell...

Anyway, for anyone who's interested, its another Coopers Heritage lager, made up with what I've got left in the brew store cupboard (I must put an order in!)... 500g light DME (last bag), 500g glucose, and some extra Saaz hops - 15g boiled for 10mins in a couple of litres of wort, then a further 15g added during cooling.

I don't think 30g will have overdone the hops, the Sparkling Ale was okay with 10g+10g (thanks for the tips DaaB), but I thought it could have stood a bit more - and the kits are not dissimilar. I don't think the hops are 100% either...

[BIGTRACTOR]

just thought i'd mention: just tried apint of youngs harvest pilsner made with 500g light dme, 250 g brewers sugar and some halletau hops, BLOODY LOVELY! i put the lot into 1 litre plastic lucozade bottles. left them for 1 week indoors, now about 3 weeks in garage, left a bottle overnight in fridge nd just poured it. 'tis quite dark for a lager, but lovely and crisp with that lager 'bite' . Also because of the wide hole on the lucozade bottles it was easy to pour without getting the sediment in the glass, (came out nice and quick).

wish i made some more lager when it was cooler, guess i'll have to wait till autumn at least now!

[prodigal2]

just thought i'd mention: just tried apint of youngs harvest pilsner made with 500g light dme, 250 g brewers sugar and some halletau hops, BLOODY LOVELY! i put the lot into 1 litre plastic lucozade bottles. left them for 1 week indoors, now about 3 weeks in garage, left a bottle overnight in fridge nd just poured it. 'tis quite dark for a lager, but lovely and crisp with that lager 'bite' . Also because of the wide hole on the lucozade bottles it was easy to pour without getting the sediment in the glass, (came out nice and quick).

wish i made some more lager when it was cooler, guess i'll have to wait till autumn at least now!

Yup thats the problem with Lager brewing without a lagering fridge its a seasonal deal

OR

you could carry on regardless in the steam beer/californian common beer style

[davidson]

I've started a lager off too, long range weather forecast was for for a cold spell...

Anyway, for anyone who's interested, its another Coopers Heritage lager, made up with what I've got left in the brew store cupboard (I must put an order in!)... 500g light DME (last bag), 500g glucose, and some extra Saaz hops - 15g boiled for 10mins in a couple of litres of wort, then a further 15g added during cooling.

I don't think 30g will have overdone the hops, the Sparkling Ale was okay with 10g+10g (thanks for the tips DaaB), but I thought it could have stood a bit more - and the kits are not dissimilar. I don't think the hops are 100% either...

I was thinking of doing this but with a different lager kit. Just a couple of question concerning the hops.
Do you just boil the hops in the wort then use a sieve to get them out?
Does it matter how much wort you use?
I then assume you just add what you have to your fermenting bin.
Hope you can help

[sparky Paul]

Do you just boil the hops in the wort then use a sieve to get them out?
Does it matter how much wort you use?
I then assume you just add what you have to your fermenting bin.
Hope you can help

What I do (as recommended by DaaB) is empty the kit can into the fermenter, then fill up the can with boiling water and make sure all the remaining extract is dissolved before emptying the can into a large pan, preferably stainless. Another half a can of boiling water will make sure the can is fully rinsed out.

Bring to the boil and add half the hops and boil for 10 mins. Then add the other half as the wort cools. Leave in the pan for 20 mins or so, then add to the fermenter, straining the hops out with a fine, sanitized (or boiled) sieve.

If you have a look round, there's a few interesting posts which discuss adding hops to kit beers. I'm quite happy with the bitter kits, for me it's the lager and pale ale beers which really benefit from the extra hopping.

[davidson]

Thanks sparky. Will give it a go as soon as i get some hops. Apart from saaz, what other hops would you recommend for using in lager? What do they add to the lager?

[sparky Paul]

I'm no expert, I've only just started adding extra hopping myself, but Saaz and Hallertau seem popular choices for Lagers.

Hops in the boil add hoppy flavour, adding them during cooling replaces the aroma lost during the kit processing.

If DaaB's about, he may share a little more wisdom with you. In the meantime, have a look at these threads - it's where I got my advice initially.

viewtopic.php?t=2474

viewtopic.php?t=2963

HTH

[Heavy Drinker]

After a week or between 10 - 15 degrees c, can you stick lager in the fridge to mature?

[Heavy Drinker]

Also how long does a bottle take to carbonate approximately?

[maxashton]

Depends on temperature. The sugar is probably converted to co2 in a couple of days, but you need the beer to condition for a while before you drink it. The formula is a week for every ten points of original gravity.

[sparky Paul]

Its an interesting one that. I've found that the initial carbonation occurs just the same as any other beer, i.e. in a few days - but in my experience the lager turns out disappointingly flat, still a little sweet, and not light enough for a lager.

However, after being left for a good while, ideally months, the carbonation improves tremendously and the beer also loses the residual sweetness - I'm guessing its the more complex sugars being broken down slowly.

[james_m_r]

I had a first sample last night after 2 weeks in the bottle and it was pretty good although slightly flat as mentioned above. I will not be touching another one now for at least six weeks so should be pretty good by then.