I would follow the advice that everyone has given so far. I would add myself that you should think first of yeast health when making this first batch of lager.
Build up the starter, use quality nutrients in the starter and in the beer and ferment on the warm side. Then you will have a...
This one turned out very well...
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Beisl Bier
Brewer: Cellarbrau
Asst Brewer:
Style: Vienna Lager
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 29.31 l
Post Boil Volume: 25.81 l
Batch...
How often do you find a beer that has within a reasonable shelf life, say 6 months, become unpleasantly oxidized?
Which are the worst offenders? Which are the best?
I'd be more choked about the clean up than losing some wort.
Fermcap does stratify and the liquid on top won't be effective. Try shaking up the bottle and using it again. Shake it again before each use.
If it was me I would drop the Tower of Power and plan a good fermentation area with more than 1 fermenter.
Also, Blichmann Burners are so good and reasonably priced I don't know why you would use anything else.
Did it last weekend.
An easy thing to do is to search for for a "typical analysis" for your brand of malt. Sometimes they outright tell you what % of the grist you can use it for. If not, "DP" or diastatic power > 40 is required.
http://countrymaltgroup.com/greatwestern.asp
Hey! I remember this thread. Still disagree. In fact I'll be dumping a couple half full, oxidized kegs to make room for fresh beer.
"If you see a beer, do it a favor, and drink it. Beer was not meant to age."
-Michael Jackson
I'm the opposite of Golddiggie. I keg it up as soon as I hit TG. Less footprint in the fridge and no air exposure. If I'm dryhopping, lagering, or fining I will transfer keg to keg once that is done.
Conditioning at room temperature is just letting it get older. Conditioning should be at...
I've done 20 minute boils (extract lager) up to 120 minute boils (barleywine). For "normal" beers I always do 70.
I could try 50 and keep pushing it until I notice a difference but that would mean recalculating everything and using more hops so i won't bother.
Assuming master Revvy is correct, the problem is still oxidation. It's hard to drink 60-70 beers at peak freshness if that period is only a week.
Limiting oxidation is key to good homebrew. Racking your beer into the priming solution could be a good practice. It will mix and you don't...