My First Lager

[discoloop]

So my first lager has been fermenting away for almost a fortnight - sitting in the 100-can cooler with temps averaging about 11-12 degrees (+/- 1 degree).

I'm at the stage now where fermentation is slowing. I guess it would usually be time to rack and cold-condition around about now, but I have not the means to do so. I was planning to leave the brew on the yeast cake for another fortnight then bottle - but it occurred to me I could bottle now (minus carbonation) and leave the un-carbed bottles sitting in the fridge for a month or so. The plan would be to then take the bottles out of the fridge after the month, drop a carb drop in and then leave for a few weeks til carbonated.

Would this approach work or would I be wasting my time? Or would I be better off to just bottle as normal after sitting the beer on the yeast cake til fermentation is all over?

Oh - I'm using the Coopers Bavarian kit yeast (Saflager?)

 

[matti]

Noooooooooo! too risky!
If you go ahead just allow it to rest at 18 degrees for 2 days prior.
Diacetyl rest! beware of infection!
I would let it sit on cake for another 7-10 days
then rest @18 degrees for 2 days
then bottle if you can't rack it.
Allow to carbonize at 18 degrees for 2 weeks (shake bottle after 4 days)
then lagers bottles as long as you can handle. At least 6-8 weeks
Good luck!
2)

 

[Tony M]

My lagers typically go from 1.048 to 1.008. When they drop to around 1.012 or so, I bring the temp. from 12C to 18-20C and let them ferment out. Then I rack into a plastic jerrycan and store that as cold as I can for 2 or 3 weeks. By then all the poop has dropped out and I can keg, gas and drink immediately, but you can bottle from the jerry (make sure you bought one wuth a tap), or rack back into another container and bulk prime. Just remember that every time you rack you are exposing your brew to oxygen and possible infection.

 

[discoloop]

I guess my question is - is there any reason I can't use the bottle itself as the vessel in which I do my cold conditioning?

My original idea was to cold condition the un-carbonated beer, then bring up to warmer temps to carbonate. From Matti's response, I'm guessing it would be fine to carbonate the beer, then cold condition in the bottle in the fridge. (By fridge, I mean the normal kitchen food fridge where space is at a premium, not a special brew fridge or anything like that...)

 

[matti]

Well Disco.
I don't know what kind of bottles you have but your initial idea is unique to me and sound complicated.
Yes you can cold condition beer in bottles.
I suggest that you check the specific gravity prior to bottling and if it is a few point higher than what your expected there are two things you can do.
1.put less sugar in(but YOU are using carb drop.)
2. burp the bottles after a week if you think the are going to blow.
Just remember that they will not carbonate in fridge so you need to leave them out of fridge at room temp for 10 to 14 days.
Once in fridge the yeast will go dormant and they will clear up nicely.
If you were using a lager yeast it will take longer to clear because the yeast strain is rather dusty in comparison the ale yeasts.
I cold condition my lager beer 4-6 weeks in secondary and then 8-10 weeks in bottles.
That is about 3-4 months from brew day before drink day. :blink:
Even kit beer improve dramatically over time. Unless you cold filter lager is best around then.
matti the looney Finnish Swede residing in OZ h34r:

 

[discoloop]

Thanks for your help!

Cheers :beerbang: (eventually...)