lager/bock style fermentation yeast/sched

[dp_brew]

Im looking to do 1st brew using lager yeast thinking Chocolate Bock. Been reading on the temp pitching etc. My question is whats a good yeast to use for the style.
also hows my process look.

Primary pitch 50 degrees with starter for 2 weeks(till finished)
D Rest 2-3 days at 60
Transfer to secondary add my flavors choc/ maybe cherry
secondary at 32 degrees for month or 2?
bottle and carb

also do i have to keep bottles ice cold after bottling to maintain flavor? cant find much info on bottling conditioning lager most seem to use keg.

 

[mkeckjr]

The yeasts I would use for this would be WLP833 or maybe WLP860, which is seasonal, and I don't think it will be available until a couple months from now.

Schedule looks fine. D-rest when you're at about 75% of your expected attenuation; that is don't wait until fermentation is totally complete. I assume since this is a Bock that you're going to be at a gravity above 1.050, so when you get below 1.020, do the D-rest.

Bock, in my opinion, is probably the most important of the lagers style categories to do a traditional decoction mash. I would strongly recommend that. You of course can try to use melanoidin malt to get a similar effect, so maybe make that part of your grist if you're not going to do a decoction mash.

Bottle, and carb at room temperature for a few weeks, then put the bottles in a freezer set just above freezing, and leave them for a few months.

 

[dp_brew]

Thanks for the input ill see if my hbs has that yeast.

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[Kaz]

In addition, pitch enough yeast. Lagers generally require more yeast cells and a high gravity lager will need even more.

 

[dp_brew]

finally about to brew this the weekend hopefully. heres recipe im using going to try out with the suggested wlp 833 or 860 recipe from http://byo.com/porter/item/283-brewing-doppelbock-tips-from-the-pros

Alec’s Doppelbock
(five gallons, all-grain)
OG: 1.088 FG: 1.020 IBU: 22

11 lbs. two-row Munich malt (10° L)
3 lbs. Pilsen malt
2 lbs. CaraMunich malt (60° L)
0.5 oz. Perle hops (7% alpha acids) (add 60 minutes into boil)
0.5 oz. Hallertau hops (4% alpha acids) (add 90 minutes into boil)
German lager yeast

Strike to mash at 155° F. Rest the mash for 60 minutes. Collect runoff slowly until you hit 1.075 gravity. Boil for two hours. Aerate with twice the normal amount of oxygen. Pitch twice the normal amount of healthy yeast. Start fermentation at 50° F and let rise to 55° F near the end of fermentation. Lager near 30° F.

 

[BigFloyd]

Are you aware that, even with a stir plate, you're going to have to do a huge lager yeast starter (in excess of a gallon) to get enough cells for a 1.088 dopple?

I'd seriously consider first doing a batch of lighter gravity beer (maybe a Helles) with the same yeast and then pouring the high gravity dopple wort on top of the yeast cake.

 

[dp_brew]

Are you aware that, even with a stir plate, you're going to have to do a huge lager yeast starter (in excess of a gallon) to get enough cells for a 1.088 dopple?

I'd seriously consider first doing a batch of lighter gravity beer (maybe a Helles) with the same yeast and then pouring the high gravity dopple wort on top of the yeast cake.

ok I found mr malty calc and see just short of 2g for starter with 2 vials so yea sounds like your idea would be good. thanks for the info. id hate to kill a $50 batch due to not enough yeast.

 

[BigFloyd]

I've found this yeast calculator to be quite good and now go to it instead of Mr. Malty - http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

 

[ukeedogs]

I recently did this, brewed a Munich helles, then repitched to a helles bock, then repitched to a dopplebock


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[dp_brew]

ill have to taste test see what a helles taste like. I though about doing multi step starter this week. and decant so not so much liquid and brew next weekend. think that work also? so was thinking regular starter 2 vials. then 2 days add another starter then 2 days cold crash and decant then bring back up to room temp for brew day.

 

[dp_brew]

decided to go with the big starter so 2 step. 1 vial in each 2L per. will do that twice and should have enough yeast. according to brewersfriend link.

 

[dp_brew]

Ok looks like im at my final gravity or within a point I missed my 75% only been a week so must have had enough yeast. Temp stayed 50-51.

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[dp_brew]

Im now lagering and secondary I added cherry puree so my gravity went up a point so 11 to 12 brix. so with a month or so lagering should my gravity go back down to 11 before i bottle so im not making bottle bombs?

 

[solbes]

Good work on the yeast. A 1.088 Dopple needs a s-load of yeast. I personally like to take 1/2-3/4 cake from a lower gravity lager, but you could try that next time if you want.

If you added cherry puree, it will not ferment at lager temps (30's). You will need to bring it back up to the upper 40's/low 50's and let it ferment out again. I personally would have added that at the end of primary prior to dropping to lager temps. But I don't think it'll cause a problem to bring it up and bring it back down again.

 

[dp_brew]

ok thanks. i check the gravity and bring temp up till i get back to 11 then lager more. hopefully theres enough yeast in secondary.

thanks

Good work on the yeast. A 1.088 Dopple needs a s-load of yeast. I personally like to take 1/2-3/4 cake from a lower gravity lager, but you could try that next time if you want.

If you added cherry puree, it will not ferment at lager temps (30's). You will need to bring it back up to the upper 40's/low 50's and let it ferment out again. I personally would have added that at the end of primary prior to dropping to lager temps. But I don't think it'll cause a problem to bring it up and bring it back down again.