Help For Newbie - Lagering And Bulk Priming/carbonation

[msha094]

Hi all,

This is my first post so hope it all goes well! Im very new to brewing and am brewing only my second brew. I chose a lager this time as i normally drink these (Heineken by choice). Anyways i have my brew in my fridge fermenting away slowly at around 8.5 degrees. I pitched the yeast at around 23 degrees and waited for action before cooling it down to its current temps. Initial SG was 1.040. The brew is a brewcraft dutch lager (premium pack).

Today i went out and bought a secondary carboy to rack out the wort into for my lagering process. Here's were it gets merky for me.

Correct me on my process:

At about 3/4 of the way through primary fermentation (around 1.020) i will rack (using sterile syphon) into my glass 23 litre carboy and place bung in and airlock.
I will bring it back up to around 65 F or so for D-Rest (1-2 days)
Then Ill place secondary into fridge and cool to around 1 degree for approx 4 - 6 weeks. (lagering)
Ill clean out my first carboy and prime with sugar (not sure how much and what to use either - help here would be appreciated!), then rack into this for bottling. Possibly add a small amount of Saflager S-23 for bottling/conditioning.
Bottle straight away into PET bottles. Condition at lagering temps for how long i dont know.

I only have a basic setup and need help where i can. Figures and what to use for priming would be good too!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Matt

 

[Steve]

Hi all,

This is my first post so hope it all goes well! Im very new to brewing and am brewing only my second brew. I chose a lager this time as i normally drink these (Heineken by choice). Anyways i have my brew in my fridge fermenting away slowly at around 8.5 degrees. I pitched the yeast at around 23 degrees and waited for action before cooling it down to its current temps. Initial SG was 1.040. The brew is a brewcraft dutch lager (premium pack).

Today i went out and bought a secondary carboy to rack out the wort into for my lagering process. Here's were it gets merky for me.

Correct me on my process:

At about 3/4 of the way through primary fermentation (around 1.020) i will rack (using sterile syphon) into my glass 23 litre carboy and place bung in and airlock.
I will bring it back up to around 65 F or so for D-Rest (1-2 days)
Then Ill place secondary into fridge and cool to around 1 degree for approx 4 - 6 weeks. (lagering)
Ill clean out my first carboy and prime with sugar (not sure how much and what to use either - help here would be appreciated!), then rack into this for bottling. Possibly add a small amount of Saflager S-23 for bottling/conditioning.
Bottle straight away into PET bottles. Condition at lagering temps for how long i dont know.

I only have a basic setup and need help where i can. Figures and what to use for priming would be good too!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Matt

Welcome to AHB Matt. Your process is pretty spot on. Well its what I used to do and the brews worked for me. There is no need to use more yeast for bottling, there is still enough after lagering and you are best conditioning them in their bottles at room temp until they are carbed up (quicker). Once carbed then chill them and drink them. There are plenty of priming calculators around (I cant find one at the moment). I'd hazard a guess to prime with about 160-170gms per sugar for a standard 23 litre batch. I used to just use normal white table sugar. I tried dextrose, malt, combinations of all three etc etc.....couldnt tell any difference.

Cheers
Steve

Edit......I used to wait until primary was done before doing the diacetyl rest. Some say to do it just before its finished.

 

[Interloper]

Wouldn't think you'd need any extra yeast for bottling, but others with more of a lager taste will know.

Now for bulk priming - Go to the calculator here and enter your beer digits

http://www.geocities.com/lesjudith/AlcoholChart/PrimingCalculator.html

I assume you did 22L, and if your beer is around 6degrees C and you want a standard level of carb then they suggest 128gms of sucrose. I agree, I've primed with Coopers bottle lollies, malt, dex and the amount is so small you cannot tell the difference so use homebrand white sugar.

 

[msha094]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like ill use approximately 120 grams of sugar as my temp was slightly higher than 6 (8-9). Anyone know how long to lager them in the bottles for? Normal standard 3 month + recommendation?

 

[buttersd70]

lagers aint my forte...
however, lagering should be done pre bottling afaik.

As for priming, theres an article linked in my sig about residual co2 levels...

 

[msha094]

I was under the impression lagering meant "storing"? So what i meant was that ill bottle them and place in fridge (after initial period at room temp) but for how long?

 

[np1962]

I was under the impression lagering meant "storing"? So what i meant was that ill bottle them and place in fridge (after initial period at room temp) but for how long?

Your lagering has been done in secondary when left at 1c for 4-6 weeks.
Once primed and bottled, left for 2-3 weeks to carb up just chill and drink.
Some here can't resist having a taster at 1 week, 2 weeks..... hell straight out of fermenter :icon_drunk:
While some beers wil improve with longer in the bottle you will want to taste them every so often and when you think they taste good, drink them. If that is after only two weeks bottled go for it, it's your beer, enjoy it! :icon_cheers:

Nige

 

[HoppingMad]

Bulk priming table here.
Essential Bulk Priming Guide

Hopper.

 

[buttersd70]

Ferment. Lager. Bottle. Store/drink.
That order.

In Commercial situation, it goes fermentation vessel to clearing vessel to lagering vessel then bottle and ship.