Lager question

[sennister]

Once my Cream Ale is done with fermentation and is kegged next week I want to do my first Lager.

I have a fridge set up with a thermostat so I am fine with controlling the temps. That is where the ale is right now and all is going good.

So I am looking at doing this kit.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/beerkits/Oktoberfest.pdf

My question is about fermentation. The recipe calls for pitching the yeast at 58. Shouldn't be an issue as I have an immersion cooler and should be able to get it down that low. From what I was reading I will ferment for 1-2 weeks at what I am assuming is 58 degrees. It doesn't state for sure and that is what I am not sure about. Then transfer to secondary and slowly drop the temp to lagering temps of 35-40.

Like I said I have never done a lager. I was assuming that I would pitch the yeast and drop to 35-40 right away. This makes it seem like I ferment it just like an Ale for the first 14 days or so then transfer and drop the temps.

Am I reading this right and is this the normal process for a Lager? I guess it makes sense from the stand point of allowing the yeast to take off so that other bugs can't beat them out. I was thinking they were different from the top vs bottom fermenting yeast.

 

[Malticulous]

Temp depends on the yeast, usually 48-55F for lagers. I like to have mine at 48 when I pitch the starter or slurry and let them warm up slowly over the week to the high end of the strain's recommended temp. After a week most are at FG and ready to be cold crashed to lagering. Some might take two weeks but I don't use those slower strains again.

 

[Schol-R-LEA]

While I am hardly an expert on the subject, it is my understanding that you would normally step the temperature down gradually from 58deg. F to around 50 deg. F to avoid shocking the yeast, then hold there for the primary fermentation. You then would (optionally) step-raise the temperature up to around 65 deg. F for a two or three day diacetyl rest before cold-crashing to around 35-40 deg. F, then hold there for a month or more of lagering. One of the reasons a lot of people design their own thermostats (and why some of us are looking forward to the release of the Fermostat) is because the step-down and step-up processes are a bit problematic without suitable automation.

Comments and corrections welcome.

 

[Malticulous]

The slow cooling was to keep the yeast from dropping. They would start lagering a few points above FG. As the beer cooled it would also carbonate. It's the old way and not necessary.

Most brewers now will let it ferment out or do a diacetyl rest. A diacetyl rest should be done before it's at FG too. Once the yeast are done you can safely crash them out and start the lagering period.

 

[sennister]

Hmm, I am thinking I might need to make a bit of a change.

Right now I am controlling the fridge that I am using for fermenting with an analog thermostat.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/refrigerator-thermostat-control-analog.html

I do have a form of a Johnson Control Digital.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/johnson-digital-temperature-controller.html

It is a different model which doesn't have the input/output powercord. The Johnson control is currently wired up to my keggerator because the thermostat died in that. It wouldn't take a lot to swap these two units so that the less accurate analog one is controlling the keggerator where I am not as concerned about accuracy. Then use the more accurate Johnson Digital on the fermentation fridge where I can control the temp and the differential. Right now it doesn't do much of anything as I have the fridge in the basement and it is pretty cool down there.

I think I will swap those thermostats this weekend.

 

[Malticulous]

I use the analog one. What is important it monitoring the fermenter temps.

 

[sennister]

I use the analog one. What is important it monitoring the fermenter temps.

With my ale I am not sure how accurate it has been. I have an instant read thermometer in there as well (just measuring air though) and the analog was set to 65 which is what the yeast and recipe called for. The thermometer was reading 60 though. So I brought the temp up to almost 70 on the analog in order to get the instant read to show 65. Sure I can keep an eye on it but it would be easier to use the Johnson.

Though as I am typing this and thinking about the modifications I will have to make to the keggerator and the Johnson Controls Thermostat, I might just pick up one of these and toss it in a project box.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00862G3TQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20