How Full Can I Fill My Fermenter For A Lager Fermentation?

[GUB]

Been ale brewers for sometime now and we finally got a dedicated fridge for some lagering. Question is how full can you fill a fermenter? Becuse of the lower temps are lager primary ferments far less vigorous, therefore less froth and muck on top? I have multiple fermenters but will prob use a 30L pail style for the primary. 27L in it? more??

cheers.

 

[raven19]

My few temp controlled lagers thus far have had a maximum krausen of around 1 to 2 inches thick.

Alternative is to rig up a blow off tube until the krausen dies down.

I would have thought 27L in a 30L fermentor for a lager would be ok.

 

[Nick JD]

I would have thought 27L in a 30L fermentor for a lager would be ok.

+1

I regularly do 18L lagers in a 20L jerry can (20L to the bottom of handle) at 12C. Where you may run into problems is if you pitch high and large and the fridge takes too long to bring it down.

 

[Scruffy]

i. Put the fridge on its back,
ii. fill.

 

[Scruffy]

If you can fashion some kind of blow off tube/overflow assembly, i'd probably go up to 28 in a thirty.
Depends how messy you want to get.