When Lagering A Pilsner In A Keg ,is It Ok To Filter First

[Pumpy]

I have fermented my Dortmunder and wish to lager in my Corney kegs !

is it Ok to

1) Filter it first into the Corney kegs

2) or should I just rack it off the yeast bed into the corney kegs and filter it when it has been lagered in 4 weeks time ?

I thought the yeast had to finish cleaning up !

What temp do you lager at 2-5C ?

Pumpy :unsure:

 

[Hogan]

Hey Pumpy.

I'd filter it and put it in the keg. If you have room, charge it and then put it in the fridge to lager. If not, then burp it and give the head space a charge of co2 and just leave it in the garage to lager. There will be sufficient yeast go through the filter to allow for any finishing off. Actually the yeast would probably finish it off better if it was at fermentation temps. i.e. not so cold that it puts what yeast is left after filtering into suspension.


Cheers, Hoges.

 

[matti]

Ross keeps posting he filters his lager or pilsner and drink 'em pretty early.
If you have fermented it all out and you followed the right fermenting regimes. I.e. enough yeast at pitching and temperature you don't need to lager it that long.
I tend to lager my un-filtered lagers in a secondary fermenter for 2-4 weeks. then fine if necessary and drink as soon the keg charged up.
matti

 

[Ross]

Pumpy,

I've found lagers condition faster once filtered & carbonated. Takes approx 1 month to hit it's peak (if it lasts that long )
When I've lagered uncarbonated (up to 3 months), it's still taken 1 month once carbonated, so now they get carbed asap.


cheers Ross

 

[devo]

After cold lagering (3-4c) in my primary for about 2 weeks I rack it through a simple in-line garden irrigation filter as it goes into the keg then carb condition for approx 3 weeks again maintaining the cold temp.

 

[Pumpy]

Thanks Guys

Matti & Hogan & Ross & DEVo

I mashed about 64C and it is on track should finish at 1.012 should have finished about 1.013

dont want it to go any lower so will have to chill down .


I like the idea of filtering and carbonating and chilling I always feel happier when it is in the keg .

Wow thats good advice carbonation cuts down the lagering time

Pumpy

 

[shonky]

Actually the yeast would probably finish it off better if it was at fermentation temps. i.e. not so cold that it puts what yeast is left after filtering into suspension.

I remember reading (I think it was either Kunze or Noonan) that lagers condition faster the colder the temperature - from memory he said something along the lines that 2 weeks at -1c was the equivalent of 4-6 weeks at +1c.

It is also standard German brewing practice to drop the temperature by only 1c per day so the yeast doesn't get shocked into inactivity.

Not sure how any of the above relates to filtered beer, personally I would question the need (or desire?) to filter if you are cold ageing a lager - I would be looking into the reasons why if my beer wasn't clear after a couple of weeks cold conditioning.

Cheers

 

[JasonY]

personally I would question the need (or desire?) to filter if you are cold ageing a lager - I would be looking into the reasons why if my beer wasn't clear after a couple of weeks cold conditioning.

Gotta say I agree, if you are going to lager why bother with filtering.

 

[Ross]

Gotta say I agree, if you are going to lager why bother with filtering.

Because the lagering is being done in the keg & filterering negates the need to transfer to a new keg to get off the yeast. Also means you can enjoy a clear beer on draught from day 1. If lagering initially in a cube, then I'd agree

Cheers Ross

 

[glennheinzel]

Using Polyclar to remove chill haze would be another reason to filter a lager (or indeed any beer)

 

[Kai]

It's OK to filter first... but you're better off not to from a quality perspective. It's better for the beer to be lagering with some yeast in there. You can always lightly carbonate the keg while lagering if you want to... also probably a good idea.

 

[Pumpy]

It's OK to filter first... but you're better off not to from a quality perspective. It's better for the beer to be lagering with some yeast in there. You can always lightly carbonate the keg while lagering if you want to... also probably a good idea.

Wont there be enough yeast after filtering in the lager?

Pumpy

 

[Kai]

Wont there be enough yeast after filtering in the lager?

Pumpy

Good point... with a coarse filter, yes probably.

 

[JasonY]

Because the lagering is being done in the keg & filterering negates the need to transfer to a new keg to get off the yeast. Also means you can enjoy a clear beer on draught from day 1. If lagering initially in a cube, then I'd agree

Cheers Ross

Lagering and enjoying a clear beer from day 1 seem counter to each other?

With any beer I don't transfer to another keg? Sure the first glass has a bit of yeast but it's clear after that. Only time I transfer to another keg is if I am transporting it and I know I will stir it up.

I am not a filterer so am biased I guess.

 

[gibbocore]

jason, i take it you are also not force carbing?

If you were to transfer to keg, lager (clear and flocc), then force carb, you'd shake up all the yeast again, unless you are force carbing then lagering?
Also there's the filtering of polycar if you use that.

 

[JasonY]

jason, i take it you are also not force carbing?

Nope I run a balanced keg system, once it's in the keg it doesn't move.

 

[gibbocore]

How does that work? I've never investigated it.

 

[Goose]

Some say filtering removes some of the flavour too... ?? :unsure:

 

[gibbocore]

Some say filtering removes some of the flavour too... ?? :unsure:

i just filtered my pilsener after it had been lagering for a month as i polyclar'd it to get the chill haze out of it. Tastes amazing. Filtering ales with big hop presence is probably questionable but i see no real detriment to filtering a lager.

 

[Sammus]

Hey Pumpy.

I'd filter it and put it in the keg. If you have room, charge it and then put it in the fridge to lager. If not, then burp it and give the head space a charge of co2 and just leave it in the garage to lager. There will be sufficient yeast go through the filter to allow for any finishing off. Actually the yeast would probably finish it off better if it was at fermentation temps. i.e. not so cold that it puts what yeast is left after filtering into suspension.


Cheers, Hoges.

I'm not sure I get this post... are you saying lagering works better at fermentation temps? I don't think that is considered lagering, I think that's just finishing fermenting. I think to lager by definition you have to bring it down from fermentation temp...