...it's been in my basement for about a month and a half. It's still in primary, and quite a bit of trub/yeast at the bottom. At this point, is it OK to bottle? Should I still rack it into secondary and put it in my fridge? I don't know how much longer the time-frame is with lagers than ales.
I forgot about my first lager...
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shadows69
Well-Known Member
Rack it to secondary for 8 weeks in the fridge. I'm wondering what temp you kept it at for the primary. The general rule of thumb is 55 degrees for 8 to 10 days. D -rest for 24-48 hours. Then secondary for 8 weeks or more at about 34 degrees. That's how your make a lager.
Zacher
Well-Known Member
What was the fermentation temperature and how much yeast did you pitch? Did you make a starter or did you toss in one pack/vial?
beerman0001
Well-Known Member
Yes rack it and start the lagering.
Temperature was ambient Michigan basement temperature. I'm not sure of the exact temperature, but it was prob around 55-60.
Yeast was about 1/3 of a WhiteLabs vial, no starter. Technically, this was probably over-pitching for a one-gallon batch, but it seems to have worked just fine.
Thanks for the help, guys! I'll put it in the fridge ASAP.
Yeast was about 1/3 of a WhiteLabs vial, no starter. Technically, this was probably over-pitching for a one-gallon batch, but it seems to have worked just fine.
Thanks for the help, guys! I'll put it in the fridge ASAP.
Check out mrmalty.com. If it was a true lager and not a kit with ale yeast you should have used more yeast. At 1.048 mrmalty is calling for 1.6 vials.
I would also follow the lagering schedule now.
I would also follow the lagering schedule now.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
1.6 vials for one gallon??? I would think that's more like 5 gallons. 1/3 vial sounds about right for 1 gallon.
Zacher
Well-Known Member
Mr. Malty recommends .8 vials for 1 gallon of 1.050. At 55-60F you definitely developed some diacetyl and esters. Being it was in the basement for 6 weeks, it probably cleaned up a good amount so if it was at 55F you are much better off than if it was 60F. At 60F you are going to have more of a hybrid. It also depends upon the yeast. Some do better at higher temps than others and keep their lager characteristics.
All that said, I agree it's time to rack and lager, or you can bottle lager if you have the room. That would be my MO, bottle it, let it sit for 2 weeks at room temp, put it in the fridge and forget about them for another 6-8 weeks before a taste test.
Dave
All that said, I agree it's time to rack and lager, or you can bottle lager if you have the room. That would be my MO, bottle it, let it sit for 2 weeks at room temp, put it in the fridge and forget about them for another 6-8 weeks before a taste test.
Dave
