Lager Yeast

[peter]

I have put down a coopers sparkling ale tin complete with extra malt and dextrose as per instructions, and used a wyeast bavarian lager yeast.
all seemed well-got krausen ring and steady air lock movement,(temp. 8-10 deg.)
however, almost 3 weeks later it is still bubbling away steadily and sg is about 1.030 (it tastes ok-very sweet , like Crown lager also very clear).
Is it normal for this type of yeast at these temps. to take so long?

 

[Jazman]

Lagers normally take between 2 to 3 weeks to ferment and with a sg of 1030 u may have a stuck ferment ( your beer aint fermented yet) up a bit not to much and santise your spoon and stir the yeast cake up to get it going but be gentle when stiring as u dont want any air into your wort

 

[Jethro]

Ive been having trouble fermenting lagers below 1.016 lately dont know why! Ill try a yeast starter next time and maybe lower my mash to 63 Deg C Cheers Jethro

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Lagers require BIG starters, or 2-3 packets dried yeast, for many reasons

If your airlock is still bubbling in the fridge just let it go longer.

Hmmm why pitch a lager yeast to what is our flagship ale?

Jovial Monk

 

[///]

the lower temp will slow things down - but knowing this yeast oxygen and pitching rates cause slow rates.

Oxygen not pitching is the first and easiest thing to fix. Get as much stuff into the wort as possible - ferments stuch high 1.016-1.020 made on extract from Coopers is most likely oxygen starved.

///

 

[Jovial_Monk]

who the hell is III?

Jovial Monk

 

[Jethro]

one of my habits is racking the ferment after 7 days. Next brew I will leave the ferment on gross lees for 2 weeks before racking to see if that helps also. Cheers Jethro.

 

[Jazman]

First thing with lagers do not rack until 1 week after fermenatation is complete you that yeast to finish the beer and clean it up and what temp u mash at i mainly mash at 64 to 65 for lager and me last one started @ 1056 and finsihed @ 1006 with saflager 34/70

 

[Jovial_Monk]

If we are talking lagers and lager yeasts, i.e. cool to cold ferments no need at all to rack at one week, lagers take 2-3 weeks to ferment then instead of racking let beer + yeast cake warm to and stay at ale temps for 3 days to eat up diacetyl THEN rack!

Jovial Monk

 

[peter]

J. M.
I had a surplus of bav. lager starters in the fridge-i wanted to use them up.
Never tried a lager yeast in what is generally considered a top ale beer kit .
I suppose you could say that it is an experiment in progress_i'll let you know of the results.
BTW , 3 weeks up ,still bubbling away steadily.

 

[Jovial_Monk]

OK! Understand completely

Stubby of finished beer would be nice

JM

 

[Jethro]

Im arking up another lager on the weekend and I will take on your advice J.M. and Jazman Cheers Jethro