I brewed a Warsteiner clone a week ago from the BYO book and have been fermenting it at 55 degrees ever since. My starting gravity was 1.050 and according to the recipe my FG should be 1.009. I checked the gravity today and it's already down to 1.020. I don't know if I should be taking it out now to do the D-rest, since it's pretty much 75% done fermenting, or if I should be leaving it in there longer. I intially planned on fermenting for 2-3 weeks, I didn't think it would ferment this fast. I just don't want to miss my chance for a diacetyl rest. What do I do?
Diacetyl rest now or wait?
- Thread starter Rubes
- Start date
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you should start a D rest when you're 75-80% of the way to expected FG.
i'd say. it's more a factor of how much work the yeast have left to do than it is a matter of time. the yeast don't understand our theory of time. if you're twenty percent from the FG you expect, then warm it up for the d rest.
no prob, man. enjoy your brew!DSmith
Well-Known Member
Figure C on this webpage (link below) suggests that you can raise the temperature up slightly at the end of fermentation and end up waiting longer before lagering and reduce diacetyl. It may be an option if you don't want the accelerated fermentation of a diacetyl rest at ale temps.
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Fermenting_Lagers
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Fermenting_Lagers
You may or may not hit 1.009, and I typically do the diacetyl rest at 1.018-1.020 or so for a lager with an OG of 1.050.
