Lager Fermentation

[Bearded Wonder]

Hi everyone.
I'm very new at homebrewing, iv only started in the last couple of weeks. My first brew was an IPA which is now bottled and ageing. As you can imagine it didn't go without some problems but I got there.

Yesterday I started a larger using Coopers ingredients and fermentor so no air lock.

To say the instructions were vague would be a huge understatement. Mix the ingredients, add water to the 23 litre mark at a temp of 21 - 24 degrees C, add the yeast, test gravity, ferment at between 13 - 15 degrees C.

It's been 24 hours now and the top of the brew has some small islands of foam on top but nothing substantial. I have managed to get the temp down to 15 degrees C.

My question that I'm hoping you experienced brewers can help me with is this.
Am I supposed to keep the temp higher 21 - 24 degrees C until fermentation is well and truly underway then reduce the temp to 13 - 15 degrees C or get it straight down to that temp.

I'm worried I have got the brew too cold too soon which is stunting fermentation.

PLEASE HELP

 

[VikeMan]

13C-15C is not too cold for a lager. It's actually a bit warm for most lagers. That said, lager fermentations are often slower than ale fermentations, so my advice would be to be patient.

Some lager brewers do pitch at a higher temperature than they will ferment at, to get the fermentation started faster, and/or because they are sprinking un-rehydrated using dry yeast, which shouldn't be done at lager fermentation temps. One or both of those reasons is probably why your instructions said to pitch the yeast at 21C-24C.

I wouldn't worry that you reduced the temperature too fast. It's pretty hard to reduce the temperature of a fermenter full of wort fast enough to shock the yeast.

 

[Bearded Wonder]

Awesome thanks for your reply.
I'll keep it as cold as i can withings range and be patient I'm learning that a) brewing seems to be a lot about patience and b) patience seems to be something I struggle with

 

[hottpeper13]

If you are using a true lager yeast , then I would keep it below 15c for the first 5-7 days or until the activity just starts to slow down , then raise to 18c and keep there until at FG

 

[RM-MN]

My question that I'm hoping you experienced brewers can help me with is this.
Am I supposed to keep the temp higher 21 - 24 degrees C until fermentation is well and truly underway then reduce the temp to 13 - 15 degrees C or get it straight down to that temp.

I'm worried I have got the brew too cold too soon which is stunting fermentation.

The main point of the instruction to chill to 21 to 24 degrees before pitching the yeast is to keep you from pitching the yeast too hot and killing a bunch of it. It will propagate faster at 21 than at 15 but as soon as the fermentation takes off it will start producing off flavors if it is still at 21. The idea of the lager is to produce clean tasting beer so fermenting at 15 is correct. You could have pitched the yeast at 15 even. It would have taken a bit longer to take off but with no off flavors that way.

 

[Bearded Wonder]

Thanks so much for the clear advice, something I wish the manufacturer had given.
Good news, if managed to get the brew down to 13 degrees C (in an improvised/home made cooling jacket in 24 degree heat I might add) and the fermentation has really started to kick in now.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped me with this question. I love this place

 

[IslandLizard]

Most kits like that don't include a lager yeast, they provide an ale yeast instead.

What yeast did you actually pitch? That determines the fermentation temp (and fermentation profile) you choose. Not the name of the kit.

 

[RM-MN]

Cooper's yeast is supposed to work at ale or lager temps.

"The proprietary brewing yeast that is included with every Coopers DIY Beer brewing extract is designed specifically to perform well at a wide variety of temperatures, allowing brewers to rest easy brewing their beer at any time of year."

 

[hottpeper13]

That sounds like 34/70 , one of my favs.

 

[VikeMan]

According to this link, various Cooper's kits come with various yeasts. I can't vouche for the claims, but the info is pretty detailed.

https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/wordpress/coopers-kit-yeast/

 

[IslandLizard]

According to this link, various Cooper's kits come with various yeasts. I can't vouche for the claims, but the info is pretty detailed.

https://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/wordpress/coopers-kit-yeast/

Thank you for the link, that's good, and possibly new info most of us weren't aware of.