How To Cold Condition/ Lager

[MattC]

I have just kegged my 2nd AG. My first was cloudy as (APA) when first kegged, however after 2 weeks was very clear. Im guessing because it was conditioned in the keg. My second is a Bohemian Pils and tastes absolutely fantastic at the moment, best beer yet!! However cloudy. So I will do what is very hard for me right now and drink the old extract bottles until the pils has lagered for at least 2-4 weeks.

My questions are

1. what is the real difference between lagering, and cold conditioning? They are both aimed at improving the beer post fermentation arent they?

2. Is it best to cold condition in a keg so you can purge the oxygen out of the vessel or is there no difference if I use a no chill cube to CC??

 

[matti]

Everyone to their own on this I am afraid.

1.Lagering is generally done after racking to secondary fermentation vessel. The beer then sit there and finish off the fermentation.
Then you chill the beer slowly (2-3 degrees over 24 hours) not to knock out the yeast. The yeast keeps working and clean out any off flavour and the yeast will drop out of the suspension and clear the beer.

2. I CC/ lager my beers in Cube. Why? I want to avoid tranferring beer any more then necessary. Twice is enough and it leaves the kegs with 99 % clear beer.

Cold conditioning is only necessary if you don't filter IMO.

Matti

 

[Bribie G]

Everyone to their own on this I am afraid.

Cold conditioning is only necessary if you don't filter IMO.

Matti

Depends on the style. For example Czech pilseners in their homeland are lagered for 40 days (used to be three months but that's the bloody EU .) However every drop is then filtered. It's not just the yeast, it's about developing subtle flavours etc. Since cold conditioning for at least a week I'm getting far better flavours and lack of HB twang than when I just dropped the yeast quicly with gelatine over a few days and then bottled straight away afterwards,.

 

[MattC]

Everyone to their own on this I am afraid.

1.Lagering is generally done after racking to secondary fermentation vessel. The beer then sit there and finish off the fermentation.
Then you chill the beer slowly (2-3 degrees over 24 hours) not to knock out the yeast. The yeast keeps working and clean out any off flavour and the yeast will drop out of the suspension and clear the beer.

2. I CC/ lager my beers in Cube. Why? I want to avoid tranferring beer any more then necessary. Twice is enough and it leaves the kegs with 99 % clear beer.

Cold conditioning is only necessary if you don't filter IMO.

Matti

Im talking after fermentation is totally complete. Isnt lagering done over a longer period than 24 hrs? Ive read that many beers are lagered for 4+ weeks at 0-4 deg C. however CC is not done over the same time periods? why, is CC for ales, and lagering for lagers?

 

[MattC]

Depends on the style. For example Czech pilseners in their homeland are lagered for 40 days (used to be three months but that's the bloody EU .) However every drop is then filtered. It's not just the yeast, it's about developing subtle flavours etc. Since cold conditioning for at least a week I'm getting far better flavours and lack of HB twang than when I just dropped the yeast quicly with gelatine over a few days and then bottled straight away afterwards,.

Yes BG I agree. ive only done 2 AG, (3rd one brewed today) but i feel i would be better served to leave the beer for an extra week in the secondary to clear and then 2 weeks in the keg before drinking to CC. But should I gas it as soon as it goes into the keg to avoid contamination or simply just purge the oxygen out of the keg and carb later?

 

[hoohaaman]

I rack to cube after primary,lager for 4 weeks +,then filter to keg carb and drink.The four weeks lagering followed by a couple under co2 really makes a difference.

I'm never in a hurry to drink my lagers,but Ross(Craftbrewer) has a different way of getting lagers out quicker.I can't remember his regime but I think he was drinking them at around a month from grain to brain.

 

[MattC]

I rack to cube after primary,lager for 4 weeks +,then filter to keg carb and drink.The four weeks lagering followed by a couple under co2 really makes a difference.

I'm never in a hurry to drink my lagers,but Ross(Craftbrewer) has a different way of getting lagers out quicker.I can't remember his regime but I think he was drinking them at around a month from grain to brain.

Yeah I think your right. I remember Ross telling me he only rests his lagers for 2 weeks after filtering. So yeah 4 weeks grain to brain. The only thing he does different is filter. But so do you..

 

[hoohaaman]

Filtering is a force of habit for me,after 4 weeks lagering + maybe another couple in the keg,the beer is clear and bright anyway.

The filter has very little sediment after a month

 

[Bribie G]

Carlton Beers such as VB get ten days whether they need it or not :lol:

 

[hoohaaman]

Carlton Beers such as VB get ten days whether they need it or not :lol:

And they taste just great,even better served at 4-6c

 

[boingk]

And they taste just great,even better served at 4-6c

I believe the smiley you were looking for is this: :icon_vomit:

 

[hoohaaman]

I believe the smiley you were looking for is this: :icon_vomit:

Sorry was trying to stay above megaswill sniping,thought sarcasm enough