Lagering dilemma

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by jet1724, May 4, 2020.

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  1. jet1724

    jet1724 Initiate (0) May 4, 2020 Ohio

    Hello everyone! First post so bear with me....

    Started my first lager on saturday and WAY underpitched. My first time making a starter and only made a 1 L when I should have made a 3L. OG was 1.07. Began fermentation at 53 and I have been looking for signs of fermentation since, knowing it may take a while (up to 72 hrs) to start. So i went to the LHBS this morning to pick up another packet of yeast to make a 2L starter today thinking i could give it another day to start and if not i would pitch again. Pulled my fermenter from the fridge and now have some krausen forming on the top. Question is, what do i do? Should i make this starter and pitch anyway or do i just leave it along and let it go. Took another gravity reading and it's at 1.06 today.
     
    #1 jet1724, May 4, 2020
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Personally, I would just let it ride at this point.

    But yes, that was way under pitched, if we're talking about a 5 gallon batch.
     
    #2 VikeMan, May 4, 2020
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  3. scottakelly

    scottakelly Maven (1,487) May 9, 2007 Ohio

    Yes, underpitched. But I agree to let it ride at this point with two caveats. One would be to let primary fermentation ride a bit longer than planned. The second to do a diacetyl rest.

    In sum, clean up some off flavors to overcome the underpitching.
     
    #3 scottakelly, May 4, 2020
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  4. jet1724

    jet1724 Initiate (0) May 4, 2020 Ohio

    Thank you guys for the tips! So maybe i'll run primary for ~3 weeks, then rest 2-3 days, then rack to secondary for a couple months?
     
    #4 jet1724, May 4, 2020
  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    One more vote for "let it ride"; fermentation has commenced.

    Cheers!
     
    #5 JackHorzempa, May 4, 2020
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  6. scottakelly

    scottakelly Maven (1,487) May 9, 2007 Ohio

    Most of your off flavors will be cleared up by the extended primary and diacetyl rest. I would secondary (lager) as long as I was normally planning on.
     
    #6 scottakelly, May 4, 2020
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  7. jet1724

    jet1724 Initiate (0) May 4, 2020 Ohio

    Update: After 9 days I'm down pretty close to what I would expect FG to be (1.021) so I pulled from the fridge and am starting diacetyl rest. I don't think I get any butter flavors but there is definitely a fruity flavor I didn't have 2 days ago. Can I assume this will clear up with the lagering process?
     
    #7 jet1724, May 11, 2020
  8. Prep8611

    Prep8611 Savant (1,208) Aug 22, 2014 New Jersey

    It may a little but it won’t be as crisp and clean as normal but should still make a nice drinker.
     
    #8 Prep8611, May 11, 2020
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  9. jet1724

    jet1724 Initiate (0) May 4, 2020 Ohio

    Ok everyone, I'm back with another question for the experts. I'm closing in on bottling day and I'm not sure if I should add some dry yeast to the bottling bucket due to my underpitching? Research online is 50/50. What do you all think?
     
    #9 jet1724, Jul 3, 2020
  10. thebriansmaude

    thebriansmaude Crusader (472) Dec 16, 2016 Canada (AB)
    Trader

    I'm a proponent of this, not because there won't be a big enough cell count in your beer to consume the priming sugar, but because it will be faster and more effective. For 5 gallons of beer the effort of rehydrating 2 g of dry yeast and throwing it in the bucket is not a big deal, to me at least.

    There are a few strains of bottle conditioning yeasts out there that help solidify sediment at the bottom of the bottle, which is nice too. Fermentis F-2 I think claims this.

    If you decide not to, I'm pretty certain your beer will carb up just fine, granted the priming sugar is evenly mixed / the correct amount

    Good luck !
     
    #10 thebriansmaude, Jul 3, 2020
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