California Lager Yeast

[deebee]

I am brewing with Wyeasts 2112 California lager yeast and I have very little experience with lagers so I need some advice.

Firstly, when do I rack it? Should I wait till it is finished fermenting? It has been in the primary fermenter for a week and my ales would all be finished by now but it is still slugging away at 16C and is still quite cloudy so obviously active. (Supposed to be a high flocculator.) Gravity has dropped from 1046 to 1016 which is already around the 67-71% attenuation that wyeast predict. When should I rack it for conditioning?

Secondly do I need to bother with a diacetyl rest with this yeast? It started fermenting at around 20C and took a couple of days to get down below 18C so I am thinking diacetyl wont be a problem. If I should have a diacetyl rest, I suppose that should be now when fermentation is almost finished?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Linz]

Im not 100% on this yeast but.........
When I brew a lager, I let it ferment right out, rack and then let it sit outside the fridge for 24-48 hours and then back to the fridge for another 6 weeks at a low(3-4 oC) temp.
This yeast is also the "Steam beer" yeast so you could also just treat it as an ale yeast too. 2 weeks to ferment, 2 weeks in 2ndary, then bottle. I would have it a little warmer though 18-20oC
Awaiting the 52 different views

 

[Batz]

I do pritty much the same as Linz for my lagers as well , I have the said yeast in the fridge at the moment , yet to be smacked.
I would treat it as lager yeast not ale yeast

Batz h34r:

 

[johnno]

deebee,
the first 2 lagers I did I went 2 weeks in primary then i week in Secondary then CC for at least 6 weeks. They do seem to take a longer time to ferment right out with the lager yeast. I then take them out for 24-48 hours when its time to prime. This third one I did I didnt bother about secondary. I just put in in CC with the dry hop. I'm just experimenting at the moment.
What a wonderful hobby.
cheers