Lager on tap 3 weeks from brew day

[Danscraftbeer]

Not trying to blow smoke up my own arse here. If anything I will say I'm no connoisseur and cant notice the negatives of a green beer. If I've still got Diacetyl in my lagers its not a bad flavour to me but not sure if its there or not. Anyway happy with results of my now pressure ferment and co2 transferring.

So in general. Drinking lagers 3 weeks from grain to brain is this inappropriate?

Just that I cant nock back my lager when its this green. I still rather it to commercial product.
It does get nicer with age and cold conditioning but its still good to drink. I've done this commonly with Ale, even shorter like 10 days from grain to brain for ale.
The reason I'm brewing lagers in winter is basically energy efficient. With temp control its the same process with Ale.
Pressure ferment technique with a 40lt kegmenter.
Lager ferment temps: start at 10c for around 5 days then raise 1c each day up to the yeast maximum range say 14 - 15c. Then chill (2 days) to say 4c or less to transfer after 12 days to serving keg. The beer improves a touch sitting around at room temps before going into the kegerator but still good going straight on tap from the first chill. :unsure: Anyway, pretty happy and impressed with results lately...

 

[neal32]

How long does the ferment take to get up to pressure? Do you have it at 15 psi the whole time?

 

[Rocker1986]

If it tastes fine to you, then who else is to say that it's inappropriate? After all, you're brewing it for yourself, not them.

I've had lagers on tap straight away like that myself and I would agree that while they are nice at that point, they do get better after a few weeks cold in the keg.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

How long does the ferment take to get up to pressure? Do you have it at 15 psi the whole time?

I try well to have good yeast count. The pressure starts rising after 24 hours for lager. Sometimes within several hours for Ale.
I don't have great spunding valves I try to balance the pressure between 5 to 15 psi. When you here it starts to slow down (the hissing from the variable pressure release valve) I shut tighten the valve to let the beer finish at around 15 to 20 psi. The beer is now finished carbonated. It depends on style on that last note of carbonation levels etc.

 

[Judanero]

How much yeast are you pitching/O2? Have been seriously thinking about getting another 30L keg just for pressure fermenting

 

[Danscraftbeer]

How much yeast are you pitching/O2? Have been seriously thinking about getting another 30L keg just for pressure fermenting

I use Mr Malty yeast calculator as cross check it with my Beersmith estimates. I use starters usually for bought yeast to prove it by sight. Basically pitch activated yeast. Otherwise MrMalties calcs on harvested yeast cake. Nurture the yeast to correct temperatures. Do the yeast any favours you can although I don't use nutrients (temp controlled fridge set at lager temps for this time of year so I use that to equalise temps on yeast, starters etc before pitching. I think of yeast like fish. You cant transfer them from one tank to another at different temperature levels its a potentially fatal shock)
I do have bottled o2. I only force o2 into kegmenter to ~5 psi. Then seal, tip keg on its side on floor and rock it back and forth mixing the wort with the o2. That's my oxygenation method. Actually not my method at all I picked up that note from someone else on this forum haa.

 

[Rocker1986]

I pitch cold yeast out of the fridge straight into warmer wort all the time, they take off a lot faster than when I let the yeast warm up first. I think it's worse going the other way of warm yeast into cold wort though.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Interesting note taken Mr Rocker.

 

[Coldspace]

Yep, 3 weeks is easily acceptable, I dump a whole 3 ltr 2 step starter , decanted and chilled to to 8 degrees into a well areated 12 degree wort, or thereabouts give or take a degree or 2,ferments nice for 1 week at 12, slow raise ( shoot me, brulosphy method) till 18 degrees second week, crash chill and fine or filter if I could be bothered, after 1 week. Top drop, although 3 weeks later is sensational. According to a few German and European friends who love lagers .

Got a few into brewing and kegging lately , what I do for them if they want crisp lagers, is get good kits or FWK and chill them down to about 12 mixing up chilled cans with chilled water or chilled FWK cube ,areate well with paint stirrer on drill for 1 min, then pitch 2 fridge chilled lager yeasts, hold at 12, then do the same, and they can't beleave they are doing the brews they are doing.

Cheers

 

[Bribie G]

Most Australian mainstream lagers and quite a few Germans go from grain to brain in three weeks with a 13 degree fermentation (allowed to rise to about 19 degrees in Australia) and ten days in "lagering".

As posted above, good yeast pitch and aeration are also a key factor, and an oxy kit is even better.

Australian mainstreams would benefit from extended lagering but why would they bother, it's cold and clear and gets you pissed. During the Queensland beer strike, the strike was in the packaging departments so they just kept brewing till the lager tanks were full then closed the brewery down. When they got back eventually and released the beers, the XXXX heavy would have been well accepted in Munich or Prague. Bloody lovely for a few weeks, then back to the usual.

 

[Goose]

Australian mainstreams would benefit from extended lagering but why would they bother, it's cold and clear and gets you pissed.

but its not 100% all grain.

nor is it made by boiling hops.

I doubt lagering would change it much...

 

[yankinoz]

Danscraft-

Can you put some aside for extended lagering, try it then, answer your own question and post the results?

One long-defunct brewery whose methods I knew used the same wort for its lager and cream ale, but pitched different yeasts at different temperatures. Three+ weeks later both were in bottles ready to be sold under their own and private labels at three quarts for a dollar. Off the shelf the ale was far the better beer and a favorite of university students, but me and my co-conspirators found the lager, though pasteurized and bottled, improved with a month or two in the fridge.

Which lager yeast did you use?

 

[Bribie G]

but its not 100% all grain.

nor is it made by boiling hops.

I doubt lagering would change it much...

Lion brews use hops, mostly Superpride and Golden Cluster. I've currently got an Aussie Premium on lagering in stainless steel, 30% sugaz, why wouldn't it benefit from lagering?

 

[Coldspace]

All beers, except maybe really, really hoppy ales , get better with even a few weeks kegs lagering . Well even those get smoother.

Why do you think all your beers are best in the last 3rd of keg!

Give me 3rd of kegs ".....

 

[RobH]

All beers, except maybe really, really hoppy ales , get better with even a few weeks kegs lagering . Well even those get smoother.
Why do you think all your beers are best in the last 3rd of keg!
Give me 3rd of kegs ".....

I always thought it was because all the solids drop to the bottom, and by the time you get to say the last 3rd of your keg it is nice and clear.

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Not trying to blow smoke up my own arse here. If anything I will say I'm no connoisseur and cant notice the negatives of a green beer. If I've still got Diacetyl in my lagers its not a bad flavour to me but not sure if its there or not. Anyway happy with results of my now pressure ferment and co2 transferring.

So in general. Drinking lagers 3 weeks from grain to brain is this inappropriate?

Just that I cant nock back my lager when its this green. I still rather it to commercial product.
It does get nicer with age and cold conditioning but its still good to drink. I've done this commonly with Ale, even shorter like 10 days from grain to brain for ale.
The reason I'm brewing lagers in winter is basically energy efficient. With temp control its the same process with Ale.
Pressure ferment technique with a 40lt kegmenter.
Lager ferment temps: start at 10c for around 5 days then raise 1c each day up to the yeast maximum range say 14 - 15c. Then chill (2 days) to say 4c or less to transfer after 12 days to serving keg. The beer improves a touch sitting around at room temps before going into the kegerator but still good going straight on tap from the first chill. :unsure: Anyway, pretty happy and impressed with results lately...

If you leave the beer at an ambient temperature after your 14 - 15°C for about 3 -4 days, and THEN chill, you will not have any diacetyl.