# Pressure Fermenting Pilsners/Lagers



## wobbly (26/2/17)

Have any of those that* "Ferment Under pressure" *tired fermenting a Pilsner/Lager at elevated temperature.
From another forum our friends across the ditch are reportedly fermenting Pilsners/lagers at elevated temperature of 23/24C using dry yeast w34/70 at around 1.5 bar pressure and getting good results with a short 7- 9 day cycle 

Cheers

Wobbly


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## Dan Pratt (26/2/17)

Mate you could do a 7-9day ferment without using pressure and higher temps. 

My last two lagers were done in under 7days, its all about yeast health, quadruple the required yeast and high PPM of pure 02 for a heathly ferment. 

To do that I make a fake blonde with W34/70 fermented at 15c, I cold crash that to 4c and after transfer use the entire yeast cake at 9c. Letting it raise up naturally to 9c after pitching wort into yeast cake and 2-3mins of O2.


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## wobbly (26/2/17)

Thanks for your comments however they don't address my question as it was not directed at what* could be done* but rather towards those that do ferment at/under pressure and have they fermented a Pilsner/Lager at elevated temperatures (23/24C and not 9C and 15C as per your reply) so as to achieve a fast ferment (7/9 days grain to brain) without unwanted ester etc production

Cheers

Wobbly


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## BKBrews (26/2/17)

Pratty1 said:


> Mate you could do a 7-9day ferment without using pressure and higher temps.
> 
> My last two lagers were done in under 7days, its all about yeast health, quadruple the required yeast and high PPM of pure 02 for a heathly ferment.
> 
> To do that I make a fake blonde with W34/70 fermented at 15c, I cold crash that to 4c and after transfer use the entire yeast cake at 9c. Letting it raise up naturally to 9c after pitching wort into yeast cake and 2-3mins of O2.


Just did a pilsner on WLP802 that was at terminal within a week at 10 degrees. A bit sulphury after 3 weeks, but will sit in the keg for at least a month before tasting. 

BUT I have nothing of value for this thread


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## Coldspace (26/2/17)

I'm only new to pressure fermentation , but the 10 batches I've done in my kegmenters are excellent , I won't be going back to standard stainless fermenters .

I still stay inside the yeast recommend temp range and it's still faster and cleaner anyway.
I haven't tried going outside the high temp range yet under pressure, as I'm getting great results at 2-2.5 weeks anyway. No sulphur or Diacetyl etc, way cleaner than my ambient ferments and at least 10 days quicker. Higher temps may push time down alittle, but I'm also doing one week of cc with 10 day ferments.
And I'm still running on the lower side of temps, so might try 15 next time for 189 but this yeast can go cleanish upto 19 anyway.
I use one for lagers, one for ales.

My lagers, I tip in my chilled cube wort at 10 degrees, O2 for 2 mins for 44 ltrs ,pitch plenty of 189 or whatever, seal up, keep valve closed for first 24 hrs and set temp to 12. Usually at 24-36 hrs pressure is up, ferment is away, set spunding valve to approx 10-14 psi.
Main ferment is done at about 5 days, grav check and when at about 1012-1014 I ramp temp to 18. Close valve, pressure increases to 26-28 psi. Leave for a few days, sometimes I bleed off pressure each day back to 20 psi and each day it slowly creeps back to 26-28 which is perfect carbonation for that temp.
Usually totally done by day 9-10.Cold crash and lager away. I usually cc, then 24 hrs later once the beer has absorbed the co2. Open it up, chuck in finnings quickly, seal up pressure up with co2 to 15 psi, then shake abit to stir finnings through. 1 week and it's crystal clear and clean as, transfer under pressure to. 2 cornies. Even while waiting, I usually have a few schooners off the crash chilled kegmenter while it lagers away using my pluto gun.
All up without rushing, is 2.5 weeks. Drinking out of kegmenter at day 12-14. Cornies at 2.5 weeks and crystal clear.
Clean as, and it does clear up another week in a corny as all beer likes alittle age.

I did a batch in 2 weeks and pressure transfered it through my filter into cornies because of a family BBQ 2 days later 10 day ferment with ramp up/carb time- 4 days cc and filtered, 2 days later family demolished the keg at the BBQ  , was totally crisp, clear and clean as lager using my nelson lager receipe. Blew me away what can be done.

With my ales, it's 2 weeks max and , when I fine, I also dry hop in my hop bag into the kegmenter , then 5 days later transfer out.

One tip, do not open the kegmenter up if at ambient temp after bleeding off the co2 head pressure, otherwise the co2 comes out of the warm beer solution and causes a mini volcano type issue lol.

Open up after cold crash for 24 hrs only....


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## Gloveski (20/9/17)

Coldspace said:


> I'm only new to pressure fermentation , but the 10 batches I've done in my kegmenters are excellent , I won't be going back to standard stainless fermenters .
> 
> I still stay inside the yeast recommend temp range and it's still faster and cleaner anyway.
> I haven't tried going outside the high temp range yet under pressure, as I'm getting great results at 2-2.5 weeks anyway. No sulphur or Diacetyl etc, way cleaner than my ambient ferments and at least 10 days quicker. Higher temps may push time down alittle, but I'm also doing one week of cc with 10 day ferments.
> ...




Great info coldspace as I am about to have a crack at pressure fermenting and doing lagers straight away this is valuable info for me .............big thumbs up.
I have to 26litre kegmenters coming , how much headspace will I need ? Was hoping to be able to put about 21 litres in , enough to fill a standard keg once finished


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## mtb (20/9/17)

Gloveski said:


> Great info coldspace as I am about to have a crack at pressure fermenting and doing lagers straight away this is valuable info for me .............big thumbs up.
> I have to 26litre kegmenters coming , how much headspace will I need ? Was hoping to be able to put about 21 litres in , enough to fill a standard keg once finished


I routinely fill my 26L iBrew kegmenters up to 23L without issue.


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## Gloveski (20/9/17)

mtb said:


> I routinely fill my 26L iBrew kegmenters up to 23L without issue.



awesome , what strains of yeast have you tried ?


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## mtb (20/9/17)

US05, American Ale, Kolsch, Denny's Favorite 50, Bohemian Lager


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## BKBrews (20/9/17)

I'm assuming these kegmenters don't have a tap and require pressure transfer? How do you go dry hopping loose hops? clogged posts?


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## mtb (20/9/17)

I use these.


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## neal32 (20/9/17)

BKBrews said:


> I'm assuming these kegmenters don't have a tap and require pressure transfer? How do you go dry hopping loose hops? clogged posts?


Can confirm that dry hopping with loose pellets will cause a blockage. I had to use my auto siphon for that batch. 

My workaround is to put the bagged hops in the c02 flushed keg, filter and fill the keg as usual. 

But I'm definitely keen to here if anyone has a good method of dry hopping.


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## neal32 (20/9/17)

Also i ferment at the top of the manufacturers ideal range except at ~10-15 psi.

I don't see the logic in potentially negatively affecting the flavour of the beer to "save time". I'm in no rush, the beers ready when it's ready, not according to a set time.


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## Danscraftbeer (20/9/17)

I start at the bottom of the yeast temp range, up 1c per day or so not critical and finish at the top temp. It still seems to work faster that way as well at ~8 to 15 psi then creep up the temp after ~ 5 days and tune the pressure up to finish at 25 ~ 30 psi. That way its finished fully carbonated.
I rarely dry hop and I only do it with flowers, in the serving keg in a weighted sock. You need a very fine sock for pellets and loose as possible. Hop balls don't work because they swell into a block.
The hop sock must go in the empty keg then seal and pressure transfer the beer to fill.
Hop sock stay's in there until empty. You tilt the keg so the hop sock surrounds the dip tube before you let it sit so all the beer draws through it.


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