Largering Without The Resources

[stonersloth]

I am using a broken down freezer with 2L ice blocks to keep my fermentor cold.

brew diary extract:
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Beermaker's Lager, Brewcraft Brew Enhancer #40, Saflager W-34/70
Followed Brew Enhancer instructions: Brought 2.5L to boil. Added brew enhancer + hops in a net
(weight unknown: Cluster). Hard boil for 1 min. Took off heat and let stand for 10 mins. Removed hops net.
added kit, stirred in. Kit did not completely mix - start with 3L water next time.

20L water pre-cooled to 10c. Combined with Wort in fermentor, came to 22c. G.R. 1035.
Yeast re-hydrated in 100ml water (cooled after boiling - only about half rehydrated. use 200ml water next time)
Pitched @ 22c.
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took a couple of days to get down to 10c. has been fermenting in primary for 3 weeks now, between 10 and 12 degrees.

primary fermentation would be definitely over now, i've been a little lazy - about to take gravity reading.

i've never largered before, and problem is, i don't have a working fridge for it, and i'm not going to be able to produce enough ice blocks for a month straight (or however long) to keep it at largering temps.

so what would be the best line of attack from here in my situation - rack to secondary for a while at 10-12c, before bringing to room temp 2 degrees a day for bottling, then store at room temp????

 

[Steve]

id prolly just rack to secondary ASAP and leave for another week at 10-12 if thats as low as you can go, then bring to room temp (no need to worry about 2 degree increments), bulk prime and bottle. You've done well to keep it that low with just frozen bottles.
Cheers
Steve

 

[andreic]

Hi,

I am down to my last 2 longnecks of fresh wort pilsener (with extra saaz). I fermented at 10-12C for 2 weeks, did a diacetyl rest, then lagered at fridge temps (4-6C) for 3 months. It has been in the bottle almost 2 months now and is absolutely sensational - the best beer that I have produced at home. So how is this relevant to you... I am not an authority on lagering, but translating from German it apparently means "to store". I think one of the main ingredients in producing a good lager is patience.

I would go along with Steve's suggestion - rack to secondary, and keep it as cold as you can (if you can get it down lower than 10C that would probably be even better). If you have the patience, then secondary for 2 weeks, or even longer... Once bottled, put those bottles in a good storage location (e.g. under the house? in a cellar?), and leave them as long as you can... (can you last 3 months? what about 6?).

Before I got the 2nd fridge for lagering, I did a kit lager with 2 weeks primary and 1 week secondary at 10C. I drank most of these bottles before they were 4 months old, but pulled out the last one at about 7-8 months in the bottle - the difference was astounding - it had gone from an "good" beer, to a "very good" one (but no where near the quality of the last 2 longnecks in the fridge I am thinking of having tonight!).

Just do the best you can, but try and save 3-4 bottles to see what they are like after 6 months, 9 months, and maybe even 12 months! In a years time you will probably have bought the 2nd fridge and will be in lager heaven!

cheers,

Andrei