Skip the Diacetyl rest?

[Coldspace]

Question for the more experienced lager brewers. I've done a few lagers past couple of years and most have turned out ok to excellent.
I usually did the warmish pitch at around 20, then set my controller to 12 which would pull the pitched wort down to 12 in about 12 hrs. These then took off, I held it for 7 days then the next 7 would raise slowly upto 18, the cc to 0 for a couple of weeks, then keg and leave for at least 3 weeks . Similar to the brulosphy quick lager method. I'm wanting to try a more traditional German approach ,

I brewed an octoberfest and a Doppelbock , I grew 2 x 3 ltr2206 Bavarian yeast for the octoberfest (1055) and 3 x 3 ltr for the Doppelbock (1075). I chilled the cubes and yeasts to 8 degrees, then decanted the yeasts down to just enough to swirl the slurry,
02 the worts for 2 mins each at 2 ltrs a minute, pitched and into my fridge. I set the controller to 10 degrees. After this process the wort has come up to 10 from 8 anyway.

24 hrs in low krausen was clearly evident , now 48 hrs in they are at high krausen.

So...... As I'm in no rush, shall I just leave these for a few weeks till final grav and then cc them, or do a temp rise?

They are looking and smelling malty awesome ATM 48 hrs in.

Cheers guys.

 

[mtb]

They say to only do a diacetyl rest if you need one - so take a sample and sip it for buttery goodness.
Buttery goodness is bad.

 

[Rocker1986]

It's up to you really, the yeast will still clean up any diacetyl at ferment temps, it'll just take longer than if the temp is raised.

 

[Coldspace]

Tks guys,

I'll sip and see.

Cheers

 

[MHB]

A diacetyl rest is regarded as a remedial process, if you have too much diacetyl. So if you don't it is unnecessary but there may be some other benefits.
With lager making one thing people get wrong is in cooling too quickly from fermenting temperatures (~8-12oC) to lagering temperatures (~0oC), if you cool too quickly the yeast goes dormant and cant do any cleaning up nor in traditional lager brewing condition the beer.

A good simple way is to transfer the beer to a keg, add some more unfermented wort (Kraeusening) and cool slowly, rather than crash cooling. The yeast will clean up any diacetyl and will keep working, conditioning the beer at the same time. Worth reading the relevant sections in Braukaiser.
Mark

 

[Coldspace]

Tks Mark,
I've started reading through Braukaiser last few days. Nice tip on cc too quickly. I might even lower my ales more slowly to cc over a week. I'm in no rush now, got heaps on tap.

Cheers

 

[manticle]

I don't find ales is really an issue but lagers definitely. 1-2 degrees per day (1 better if you have patience).

 

[Mardoo]

1/2 if you're stoic

 

[kaiserben]

EDIT: Just saw my question about how fast is too fast when cooling has been answered.

 

[jeremy]

In my experience, once I taste Diacetyl in my beer I never fully get rid of it.

I do seem to be in the minority though...

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Yep - if you taste diacetyl in your "beer" - its too late. If you taste it in your still fermenting beer its fine. All you need is some time. Leave it alone. If a week or so extra time at fermet temp (or a bit higher if you are making a proper lager) doesnt fix it, then maybe its infection, or underpitching.

Plenty of yeast, in good health + a dose of patience = no vdk

 

[MHB]

Yep - if you taste diacetyl in your "beer" - its too late. If you taste it in your still fermenting beer its fine. All you need is some time. Leave it alone. If a week or so extra time at fermet temp (or a bit higher if you are making a proper lager) doesnt fix it, then maybe its infection, or underpitching.

Plenty of yeast, in good health + a dose of patience = no vdk

About time you showed up - been missed!
Mark