Lager Critique

[Kaiser1878]

This is my first attempt at a lager. My go to is a pale but the wife wants something less bitter and I need a sessionable beer on tap. Any input is welcome.

Lager
Method: All Grain
Style: American Lager
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.033 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 65% (brew house)
Source: 1878


Original Gravity:
1.045
Final Gravity:
1.007
ABV (standard):
4.93%
IBU (tinseth):
18.54
SRM (morey):
4.22


Mash pH
n/a


Fermentables
Amount Fermentable PPG °L Bill %
10 lb American - Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 97.6%
4 oz American - Victory 34 28 2.4%
10.25 lb Total
Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
1 oz Tettnanger Pellet 4 Boil 60 min 16.13
1 oz Saaz Pellet 3 Boil 5 min 2.41

Hops Summary
Amount Variety Type AA
1 oz Saaz Pellet 3
1 oz Tettnanger Pellet 4
2 oz Total
Yeast
Fermentis / Safale - Saflager - Swiss Lager Yeast S-189
Amount:
1
Attenuation (avg):
84%
Flocculation:
High
Optimum Temp:
48 - 72 °F
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
-
Pitch Rate:
0.35 (M cells / ml / ° P) 82 B cells required

 

[cactusgarrett]

No comment on the recipe, as it looks pretty standard for a pale lager. You should put some thought into your fermentation temp and approach, though, as I don't see anything about it there. My go-to approach for clean lagers is to pitch about 5°F cooler than the target fermentation temp and let the beer come up to that, then hold it there before doing a diacetyl rest.

I have pause at this, though:

Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons

You know your system best, but I'm just wondering if your fermentor volume isn't a little high. Assuming ~1gal boil-off per hour, and ~5% shrinkage from cooling post-boil, you would be putting about 6.25-6.5gal into the fermentor. A lager like this (and only 2oz of hops) shouldn't generate 1gal of trub lost when moving to bottling bucket/keg.