Lagers: After D Rest, How Long Can I Leave Warm

[GrizBrew]

So, I've been doing several lagers lately, and after pulling them out of the ferm chamber at 70% attenuated, I have been letting them sit for a while at 66 degrees. This system works well for me as I can move new lagers into the chamber to ferment while the first ones are doing their D rest. My question is, how long can I leave them sit at 66? My thought is that fermentation is over for the most part, so it shouldn't matter too much. The yeast is doing its cleanup and likely getting rid of all of the diacetyl, so I have just been letting them go.

I am on my fourth lager now, but I haven't tasted any of them yet. The Maibock that I did first took forever to get rid of the diacetyl, like two weeks after I pulled it. I did three diacetyl tests before I was confident it was gone. I really don't like pulling samples much, for risk of infection. I was thinking of just leaving them at 66 for 2-3 weeks after ferm and then start lagering. Will this affect the flavor much or do ye think all of that is done after the first 70% of fermentation?

 

[BogusOwnz]

I share the exact same system for lagers. At the point in fermentation we are raising to 60-65 degrees nothing is going to be given off by the yeast. People raise ales to the mid 70's to finish up towards the end of fermentation as well.

I usually give the lagers 7-10 days at 60-65 degrees before finally racking and lagering. The time frame I would sa is up to you but much more then a week is a starting to cut into valuable lagering time IMO.

 

[passedpawn]

I often pull mine at about the same point (1-2 weeks, not quite to FG) and bring them to room temp so I can get another batch going. They usually sit for 2-3 weeks at room temp then cold crash, keg, filter, carb, and store.

So, I've done almost exactly what you are proposing and the beer turned out great. I make a lot of pilsners.

 

[GrizBrew]

The time frame I would say is up to you but much more then a week is a starting to cut into valuable lagering time IMO.

Ha, this is very true! It takes long enough to get these buggers done. My mission is to get 4 done at a time and then use my ferm chamber to bulk lager all of them. It will hold 4 cornies. I will stick them in the kegerator at 38 deg until I have 4 ready for the lagering chamber (formerly known as ferm chamber) and then drop all 4 to 32 until Oktoberfest time. One Doppelbock to go!

I will have a Marzen, Vienna, Trad Bock and Doppelbock on tap for the celebration. I may even pull an Eisbock off of the Doppel for kicks! Should be fun.

My wife and I have been doing lots of brewing and gardening this year. We truly have a harvest festival to celebrate. We will also need lots of beer to get us through the canning process!

Thanks for the affirmation. Prost!

 

[pjj2ba]

For a couple of years after I started brewing a lot of lagers, I had no proper lager chamber. I would simply move them into the kegerators as a spot opened up, and then leave them alone for two weeks before taping. It was not unusual for kegs to sit for a couple months in the mid 60's before seeing any lagering (I brewed a bunch of lagers in the winter when the basement was cold). After a couple years of that I had a chamber that I could cool, so I could either ferment (in summer) or lager any time. I finally am now set so I can ferment lagers and lager others at the same time.

 

[billf2112]

Do you lager in a carboy or bottle?

 

[GrizBrew]

Do you lager in a carboy or bottle?

I lager in corney kegs