Warm Fermented Lager Thread

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2 Q's about pitching rates and a D rest for you warm fermenters out there:

Say I was going to ferment 5.5 gallons of 1.050 wort at 60F with 34/70. Would I need 2 pitch 2 rehydrated packs or one? Would I need to worry about a D rest or just let it ferment out at 60 F?
 
jwalk4 said:
2 Q's about pitching rates and a D rest for you warm fermenters out there:

Say I was going to ferment 5.5 gallons of 1.050 wort at 60F with 34/70. Would I need 2 pitch 2 rehydrated packs or one? Would I need to worry about a D rest or just let it ferment out at 60 F?
Click to expand...


I would still use 2 packs and I would ferment at 60 until 50% attenuation then ramp to 65-68 range until fermented out and no off flavours are present. Then I would crash out the beer, fine (if that's your thing) and then package. But that's just me.
 
jwalk4 said:
2 Q's about pitching rates and a D rest for you warm fermenters out there:

Say I was going to ferment 5.5 gallons of 1.050 wort at 60F with 34/70. Would I need 2 pitch 2 rehydrated packs or one? Would I need to worry about a D rest or just let it ferment out at 60 F?
Click to expand...

Why 60°? Seems a little cold :). I'm not sure what temperature mine ferment at, but 60 may be closer to the fifties and may require different pitching rates. But warmer yeah, one pack would be fine. Not certain if you "would need" two or not, but I would use one and not worry. Two wouldnt be an overpitch I would think, but any yeast calculator could answer that for you, but once again I wouldnt worry. No need to rehydrate either, but to each their own. No d rest at 60 I would think. The idea is to ferment it warm and treat it just like any other beer as it should be. Or at least that's what I stand for, there's a whole other thread if you want to get into a debate on it. Either way so glad you are here.
 
W34/70 is a good yeast to use at higher than traditional temps

I have fermented at 20c in the past with no problems. Others have done it at 23c but we are brewing under pressure which does reduce esters. However based on this experiment in the link (not brewing under pressure), you shouldn't have a problem going warmer to 21c/70f

http://brulosophy.com/2016/02/08/fe...ager-yeast-saflager-3470-exbeeriment-results/
 
I have to say I'm digging the warm fermentation schedule with the 34/70 Yeast. I'm running a modified version where the first two days is at my basement temperature (<60F), followed by mid/upper 60's for the rest of fermentation. My turn around time for these lagers is two weeks, including cold crashing prior to kegging. Even on high gravity Maibocks!

I too have noticed that these stay cloudy for a few weeks in the keg, even after having been cold crashed and gelatined.

The only thing I have negative to say about this 34/70 yeast is that it is impossible to wash, so I just have to save and use a big ugly trubby slurry for my subsequent batches.
 
I only use 34/70 for my lagers. I used to ferment at 50F until final gravity is reached, bring it up to 65 for a diacetyl rest, then down to 33F for a week before fining and kegging. My last 5 or so lagers I fermented at 65 for a week, 72 for a few days diacetly rest, then 32F for a week before fining and kegging. I can't tell a difference but I'm no BJCP judge. I started doing it this way because I have one 15 cu ft ferm chamber. I can brew an 11g Lager and 11g Ale batch in the same day and use the same chamber and temperature schedule. Right now I have 11 gallons of Vienna Lager and 11 gallons of an American Wheat fermenting.
 
I too have had very good personal results using 34/70 at ales temp. I been fermenting at 16-18C.

After making some really nice german lagers i've basically given up on pale ales. Its just not what i'm looking for. Hoppy Amber ales are still one of my favourite styles though. Just don't like apa's or ipas. Thought i must of been doing something wrong until i started making german lagers. And tasting many apa's and ipa's from the pub and the beerstore.
 
So glad you found this thread. I have a citra lager, racked and ready, nowhere to cool it. Hope you post more beers and pictures.
 
I HAVE to try this. I've been avoiding brewing lagers because I don't have temp control that can get me down to sub 40F. This thread just blew my mind.

Question @applescrap - What yeast would you recommend I use on my first attempt at this and what temp should I ferment at?
 
BeerAddikt said:
I HAVE to try this. I've been avoiding brewing lagers because I don't have temp control that can get me down to sub 40F. This thread just blew my mind.

Question @applescrap - What yeast would you recommend I use on my first attempt at this and what temp should I ferment at?
Click to expand...

Man i am soooo glad you have come to the light. That's what this thread is all about. So many people have been told, just like I was that this was some special thing, and it turns out the best way to brew these beers could be this way. These beers are awesome, they ferment so clean. It will be hard to go back. I'm about to make my annual 10 gallons of Oktoberfest. The only problem is I don't like malty lagers, but I love the idea brewing for stuff. Novemeber will be pumpkin. I liked the dunkel very much. Cheers and cant wait to see what you find, ipls, vienna lagers, dunkel, the door is wide open.

Saflager 34/70
The maker, who makes lots of great yeast, says up to 72. I dont think it matters really within reason, obviously.

If you want the argument side of things see fermentation temperature reproach thread.
 
applescrap said:
Man i am soooo glad you have come to the light. That's what this thread is all about. So many people have been told, just like I was that this was some special thing, and it turns out the best way to brew these beers could be this way. These beers are awesome, they ferment so clean. It will be hard to go back. I'm about to make my annual 10 gallons of Oktoberfest. The only problem is I don't like malty lagers, but I love the idea brewing for stuff. Novemeber will be pumpkin. I liked the dunkel very much. Cheers and cant wait to see what you find, ipls, vienna lagers, dunkel, the door is wide open.

Saflager 34/70
The maker, who makes lots of great yeast, says up to 72. I dont think it matters really within reason, obviously.

If you want the argument side of things see fermentation temperature reproach thread.
Click to expand...

Many thanks. I'm going to order the ingredients for an Oktoberfest tonight!
 
Agent said:
I have to say I'm digging the warm fermentation schedule with the 34/70 Yeast...

I too have noticed that these stay cloudy for a few weeks in the keg, even after having been cold crashed and gelatined.
Click to expand...

Me too and me too! I think I fermented my last Helles (Helles N Back, named for my buddy's fly fishing guide company) around 65, first time using 34/70. I freaking love this yeast! But even with gelatin and cold crashing I was surprised how cloudy it was. Then BAM, crystal clear after a couple of weeks in the keg.
 
Happy to find this thread!
My Munich Helles. I chilled wort to 58f which was easy while our water here in Colorado was still cold. Into the fermenter and rehydrated a single pack of the 34/70. I fermented at 68f. Let it clean up for a week, then racked to keg. Chilled. Added gelatin. Continued to lager. It's still delicious...
People can say what they want and try to discredit (for some reason) the Brulosophy team, but I probably never would have tried a lager without my fermentation chamber had it not been for some of their experiments.

aviary-image-1502506701559.jpg
 
thunderwagn said:
Happy to find this thread!
My Munich Helles. I chilled wort to 58f which was easy while our water here in Colorado was still cold. Into the fermenter and rehydrated a single pack of the 34/70. I fermented at 68f. Let it clean up for a week, then racked to keg. Chilled. Added gelatin. Continued to lager. It's still delicious...
People can say what they want and try to discredit (for some reason) the Brulosophy team, but I probably never would have tried a lager without my fermentation chamber had it not been for some of their experiments.
Click to expand...

That looks really good. So glad you found us.
 
^^I have, only used jello once. I thought it was taking forever to clear but I think it was a sloppy rack and a dip tube that went to the bottom. They will clear crystal even if they don't start that way, no matter what you do. I struggle with clear beer but if you don't then you won't likely. The yeast hangs around cleaning up. That is what makes them so crisp.
 
ncbrewer said:
Has anybody done this without the cold crashing and gelatin - bottle conditioning the beer? I'm wondering how clear or cloudy it would be.
Click to expand...

While technically not a lager, I cold conditioned an entire batch of kolsch in the bottles that did end up crystal clear. No gelatin added to that batch. I think all you need is time.
 
thunderwagn said:
Happy to find this thread!
My Munich Helles. I chilled wort to 58f which was easy while our water here in Colorado was still cold. Into the fermenter and rehydrated a single pack of the 34/70. I fermented at 68f. Let it clean up for a week, then racked to keg. Chilled. Added gelatin. Continued to lager. It's still delicious...
People can say what they want and try to discredit (for some reason) the Brulosophy team, but I probably never would have tried a lager without my fermentation chamber had it not been for some of their experiments.
Click to expand...

Lovely picture. Munich Helles is my favorite beer! Its my go to after a few 100 batches!

I have a dark german lager too now - my first - in the bucket that tastes amazing - hydrometer sample, i used close to a pound of chocolate at 350L in a 5.25gal batch. I will post a picture in a month or so!
 
My 6 day old 65F fermented 34/70 Vienna Lager was at 1.010 today. Hydrometer sample tasted awesome so I raised the temp to 72F. It'll hang out there for a few days before I drop it to 32F for a week and add some liquid time. I'm brewing my Lights Out Stout (Foreign Extra) next and considering using 34/70 instead of WLP001.
 
The citra pilsner is amaze balls. The tropical flavors of the citra went wild in the lager.
 
Ohhh it is. It's on my Citra pilsner thread. That recipe is legit. I think if this was hit with three or four oz dry-hopped it would be wild. But as is, if you like lemonade and Summer Shandy's, this is it. It's like somebody put a pinch of hops and a little DME in lemonade
 
It wont make it until it clears. I think my aggressive carbing process does this to my beers. Anyways cut a little 2 row, use a little sugar, maybe rice, and it would be a great light version. The crystal geyser water is nice.

View attachment 1502662624696.jpg
 
Thought about creating a thread like this one after I finished my raw helles I am going to brew the next days. Happy to see the thread already exists! :)
 

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