Warming back up after lagering

[citizensnips]

Call me crazy but I'm doing it. I fermented a maibock from 1.067 down to about 1.022. Thought the FG was lower due to using my faulty hydro instead of my good one so I put it to lager. Its been at 5 degrees for about 1-2 days but when I tasted it I noticed it to be a little on the sweet side..... I realised what I had done. So now I am slowly bringing it back up and try and get it to ferment out some more. I read that lager yeasts can often become quite active when roused back up so we will see what happens, there is also some tiny bits of yeast on top that haven't quite dropped out so they gave me the inspiration to let them keep going. I had also given it a d-rest at about 15 degrees which I don't think did a hell of a lot but anyway...this time I'm going to take it a little higher....maybe 17ish. I know this will be bad practice for many a reason but I figure I may as well experiment and hopefully remember to report back when its drinking time to see if it makes much of a difference. The main reason for doing it is because my last brew, a belgian blond also finished a little higher than I liked, I really don't feel like drinking another batch with that sweetness, its just to much for my liking. Anyway anyone have opinions or experience with the matter? feel free to chime in.
Cheers

 

[Mclovin]

Just wondering if you may have underpitched with your cell count?

 

[citizensnips]

Yeah I think that is a definite possibility. I bought the pack from not my usual supplier and it was 6 months old :unsure: Bavarian Lager 2206 btw. Got it to go after about 3 days in a starter, it got stepped up twice in 2L so 4L worth of slurry. When it was pitched it didn't take of very quickly which surprised me, nonetheless it fermented pretty steadily all the way to where it is now. It was still bubbling every once in a long while but I gave it a D-rest and went to lager. The d rest didn't drop it as much as I would have liked but anyway, see what happens now.

 

[TasChris]

I have a Maibock lagering as we speak. I ended up with an FG of 1012, however this took a bit of work to get it down that far.
I used Bavarian as well and grew the starter out to 4 liters (stepped 1,2,4,8 liters, split in two for two batches) and pitched about 200 ml of thickish slurry.
After 7 days fermentation had slowed greatly but OG still at 1020. I raised to 16 as well to try and drive the last bit down.
After 3 days gravity down to 1018, I then racked to a new container to rouse yeast and raised temp to 17 deg a left for 7 days.
This resulted in getting FG down to 1012.
While higher temps are probably not ideal I will lager for 6 weeks to try and scub any off flavors.

I think you could raise the temp after lagering however much of the yeast may have floculated out. You could also gently rouse the yeast or pitch some new yeast to work on the last few points.

Did you oxygenate?
What was your mash temp?
Cheers
Chris

 

[citizensnips]

Great info Chris. Mash temp was about 67. And I shook the fermenter vigorously for about 2 mins in total as I do for every batch. I would have bought an O2 kit by now but am going away soon so don't have the cash.
Interesting, I have never used a secondary before but maybe now is the time, Ill let it get to 17 and see how I go before transferring it. Thanks a bunch for the info.
Btw what was your OG? 1.012 is right down there for a maibock, I'd be stoked if I could get it to 1.016 even. Maybe if I just leave her in primary for a week or so at that she'll get down to it.

 

[TasChris]

My OG was 1072 and I mashed at 66.
I have found that oxygenation has been a real turning point for my brewing. My beers appear to be cleaner and drier than in the past, as I am able to scrub a few more points off. I don't have that lingering sweetness in every beer unless I am after that in a beer.
I have greater control, consistency and thus reproducibility.
Cheers
Chris

 

[citizensnips]

Yeah definitely the first thing I'll be buying when I'm back. Thanks a lot for the help.
Cheers