Lagering - Help!

[Foz]

Well having read through several different searches from the AHB forums I'm finally getting my head around Lagers.

My questions now, though, are:

Do I do a diacatyl rest (spelling?) when the SG gets to about 1020 for 24 hours?

And if they above question is correct can I then bottle my brew and lager the bottled brew back in the fridge at around 2-3C for a couple of weeks, then finally condition at room temp for a couple more weeks after that?

Sorry if the above paragraph is slightly hard to read.

Thanks all for the advise! This site is my homebrew bible!

Edit: Oh the whole reason i ask this is because i don't have a secondary to rack to (uni student budget )

 

[Ross]

Well having read through several different searches from the AHB forums I'm finally getting my head around Lagers.

My questions now, though, are:

Do I do a diacatyl rest (spelling?) when the SG gets to about 1020 for 24 hours?

And if they above question is correct can I then bottle my brew and lager the bottled brew back in the fridge at around 2-3C for a couple of weeks, then finally condition at room temp for a couple more weeks after that?

Sorry if the above paragraph is slightly hard to read.

Thanks all for the advise! This site is my homebrew bible!

Edit: Oh the whole reason i ask this is because i don't have a secondary to rack to (uni student budget )

[post="119422"][/post]​

Rest is correct - but if you don't have a secondary, chill the whole fermenter down to 2-3c for a few weeks - than warm back up, bottle & prime. Then keep cool (fermenting temp if possible) for a few weeks while it carbonates...

cheers Ross

 

[Jye]

I put my first lagers down on the weekend and will not be using a secondary after the rest h34r: I have been hearing more and more that it just isnt necessary... especially for ales.

And I would go with what Ross said... he seems to know what he is talking about

 

[Steve]

Agree with the above - but I do a rest for 48 hours.
Cheers
Steve

 

[n00ch]

Gday Foz,

What kind of temps are you going to be brewing the lager at? True lager temps?

 

[warrenlw63]

And I would go with what Ross said... he seems to know what he is talking about

[post="119433"][/post]​

Smiiiitthhhers!!! :blink:

Warren -

 

[Foz]

nOOch - Yeah i've been brewing the lager at around 10degrees (OG 1050 and now 5 days later SG 1035)

Ross - cheers for the advice will do!

But just on a side question the main reason to CC is to clear the beer? It's the first batch i've done in a couple weeks so i'm eager to 'have a taste'.

Edit: Steve - 48 hours it is then!

 

[Trough Lolly]

Just to clarify on the duration on the diacetyl rest, there's really no point in doing resting the lager for anything under 48 hours. With 23 odd litres of beer, it will take the best part of the first 24 hours to gently bring the beer out of lager fermentation temps and up to room temp - if you, for example, took the fermenter out of 11C and sat it in the sunroom to quickly raise the temp of the beer, you'd end up doing more damage than good.

So, as is the mantra with making good lagers - patience is the key. I always do a 72hr diacetyl rest (24hrs to bring up to room temp followed by 48hrs of conditioning), followed by lagering at 3C for at least one and preferably three months.
Cheers,
TL