First Lager

[shaynsawchuk]

Hey all, I've been at it for about a year and have finally decided it's lager time. I wanted to start off fairly simple, so I opted for a sort of American Amber Ale to be fermented Lager style. It won't fit any particular style guidelines but it felt like something I might want to drink. Recipe and game plan follows. Any input on the recipe or process would be greatly appreciated.

American Amber Lager -- 5.5G Batch

Target OG: 1.052
Target FG: 1.012
Target ABV: 5.3%
IBU: 35
SRM: 16

Single Infusion Mash @ 154F

9 lbs 2-Row
1 lb Caramel 60L
.25 lbs Brown Malt
.5 lbs Pale Chocolate Malt

.5 oz Chinook @ FWH 60min
.5 oz Willamette @ 20 min
.5 oz Willamette @ 15 min
1 oz Willamette @ 10 min
.5 oz Chinook @ 180F Whirlpool

1 Tsp Irish Moss @ 10 min
1 Tsp Wyeast Nutrient @ 10 min

Large Starter of Wyeast 2035 (exact details TBD)

Process:
1. Brew as per usual
2. Chill to 45F with Therminator (running the water through a pre-chiller)
3. Decant and pitch adequate volumes of yeast
4. Ferment @ 43F ambient
5. Increase ambient temperature to 53F for diacetyl rest until FG is reached
6. Decrease temperature to 36F for lagering (allow to crash for 48 hours)
7. Rack to secondary carboy
8. Lager at 36F for 4-5 weeks
9. Fine with gelatin 2 days prior to completion
10. Rack to keg and force carbonate
11. Drink!

I'm hoping with a little help and no slip-ups this will make a nice, clean, medium bodied, hoppy, crystal clear lager.

 

[hunter_le five]

Process:
.....
4. Ferment @ 43F ambient
5. Increase ambient temperature to 53F for diacetyl rest until FG is reached
...

#4 - It would really be better if you were fermenting based on wort temp, not ambient temp. Going based on ambient can be unpredictable and hard to manage. 43*F is a bit cold even for most lager yeasts, if the wort temp happens to fall to ambient.

#5 - I would go higher for the D-rest. I usually bring the wort temp up to ~60-65*F

 

[shtoive87]

I just lager in the keg on pressure. There is less chance for oxidation and infection that way. Also, optimum temp for this yeast is 48-58. For my lagers, I cool to 44 before pitching, then raise 2 degrees per day up to 50 and hold it there for 3-4 weeks. In doing this, a diacetyl rest is seldom needed. Diacetyl is made in early stages of fermentation at higher temps. When fermentation is done, I rack to a keg and lager for however long it needs.

 

[RonPopeil]

I did a lager in february.

Dough in to hit 125F. Rest for 20 minutes.
Pull 3/4 of grain from tun and boil for 15 minutes then return to the tun.
Hit ~135F and rest for 30 minutes.
Pull 3/4 of grain and boil for 15 minutes then return to tun.
Hit ~145 and rest for 30 minutes
Pull 3/4 of grain and boil for 15 minutes then return to tun.
Hit ~155 and rest for 30 minutes.
Drain tun, sparge at 170, drain again.
Run your boil.

Ferment at 50-55F for 4 weeks.
Pull to warm room and rest for 24 hours at 68-72F.
Rack to keg, connect to gas (7psi) and lager for 3 months. I keep my kegerator at 40F.

 

[duboman]

+1 to above, 43 is too cold and 50 is not high enough for a d-rest. Go with the above recommendations and you should get a nice, tasty lager

 

[SpeedYellow]

Your recipe is kinda funny; very British-American ale. If you like that style, fine, but you might want to consider a more German recipe. E.g. 5% cara-something, 3-6% Carafa. Just my 2c.

 

[estricklin]

Looks great and congrats on the first lager! I LOVE brewing lagers, have since I started brewing for some strange reason.

A little higher temp for the diacetyl rest might be advisable. You really don't have to rack to secondary, it's up to you. I used to for lagering, but I skip it these days. After lagering for 4 weeks, I highly doubt you'll actually need any finnings, but of coarse it won't hurt.

Your recipe looks to be really sweet, with a bit of a hop punch; good luck and let us know how it turns out!

Brewing lagers is not voodoo, you'll wonder why you never done it before!

 

[shaynsawchuk]

Thanks for the tips! I'll push the ambient up to 48F for fermentation to target 50-52F wort temperature. Same goes for the D-rest. Up to 60F.

I was contemplating lagering in the keg, but I don't have enough space. Only two lines and two kegs means I can only have what I have on tap now, plus a DIPA I planned for a family BBQ in July.

As for the strange recipe, I had bits of Brown Malt and Pale Chocolate around I wanted to use up. I might swap the C60 for something a little lighter to cut down on the sweetness. LHBS doesn't carry C10 or C20 but they do have Victory. Hopefully it doesn't end up too disjointed.

Cheers!

 

[headbanger]

I've been thinking of trying a lager myself lately. Been brewing ales for upwards of ten years now, I'd say it's about time.

Subscribed!

 

[estricklin]

I've been thinking of trying a lager myself lately. Been brewing ales for upwards of ten years now, I'd say it's about time.

Subscribed!

Way pat time I'd say! And if you don't have lager temp control don't sweat it, if you can do ale temps you'll be fine. I've brewed a lot of lagers in the 60s.

 

[RonPopeil]

I brew lagers from november - march here. I can crack a window in the spare room and get the room down to 50F