Lagers!

Yeah, already made that mistake once with an IPA. Won't happen twice. I imagine it to be even worse if the lager yeast has thrown off sulfur.

 

Yeast cakes (well, actually using them) will be an integral part of the new world order.

But that's good to know about longer lagering times. My impatient noob phase is long since put behind me, so I'll just schedule ten-ish weeks from the start. Things often get pushed back a week or so, but virtually never get pushed forward. Speaking of which, the brew that's in the fermenter* has been in there past four weeks, it's about time to bottle.

*imperial CACA. May not turn out to be the best idea I've had, but we'll soon find out.

 

Well follow-up for this thread... 1st lager is in the fermentation freezer!

Although I think I might be a moron for not making an Octoberfest, since it won't be ready till about then!

I didn't plan on staying out at my bro's so long, especially without internet, and didn't bother double-checking all the parameters for lagers. So I winged it. Hopefully no terrible "Oh No!" moments here...

Used German lager yeast because that's what seemed like the best choice from the choices I had at the time I had to make a decision at the LHBS. It was white labs, and it was very fresh. Made a starter that took about six days to complete. Stepped it up around 3.5 times. I say 3.5 because on the 3rd go-round I had gotten the volume up pretty good but there was still room left for (what I thought was) another quart of starter wort. So I boiled and cooled another "quart" of wort and topped it off.

Well, troof be told, I didn't have a measuring cup out at my bro's (brewers weigh everything, right?) so I estimated using a glass. Which turned out to be slightly smaller than I thought it was. So... the starter ratios were slightly off. But I doubt it will make a huge difference. Each starter went to a nice krausen, then I'd cold crash it, decant, start over. The very last starter was just a quart and was hopped and added directly a couple hours after I had gotten it started. Temps were equalized with the decanted yeast cells and the starter before that starter got going. They weren't quite equalized when I added the starter to the main lager wort, as the wort was a little warmer (it was about 60F with the starter wort about 55F). I got impatient and didn't wait the full time, plus my ice was almost completely melted anyway, so don't know how muck lower it would have gone anyway.

This morning it was fermenting away at 52F. Now what's the fermentation temperature for lagers?

The recipe wound up being a non-smash recipe* in that I used two hops. Here's the recipe:

10.5 lbs US pilsner malt

1 oz cascade at 60 (note: 90 minute boil, cascade was 5.5% AA)
1 oz willamette (5.4% AA) at 10
1 oz cascade at 5
2 oz willamette, 1 oz cascade at FO

OG: 1.052
IBUs: 35

Too late to change it now, it's done. On about July 1st I'll transfer to carboy and lager at 33F till about Sept 15th, then bottle. I'll make sure to read up on threads and "the book" before bottling.

*shocker! al doesn't do smash!

 

I do have gelatin, although I haven't actually used it yet. Simple enough, and I would like this to be pretty clear, so maybe I'll give it a try. However, my Classic American Creme Ale was unbelievably clear (even using 75% six-row and 25% flaked corn), so maybe it won't even be necessary. I figure to assess whether I'll use gelatin when I transfer for lagering.

Now the lagering temp I've now gotten conflicting advice on. I don't think anybody's "wrong," but I do feel I should delve into the topic a bit more between now and the time I actually begin the lagering phase. Which way it goes is not a huge concern. Time isn't an issue, neither is patience (I outgrew the noob phase years ago). Time wise I couldn't keep all three fermentation freezer slots full with ales, so might as well do a lager since they take longer.

I'll likely keep one lager going and two ales for a while, unless school lightens up and I have more time to brew (unlikely since I'm rapidly approaching grad school). However, the long fabled 10 gallon system really is getting close to reality. I've sent in for the hardware, got a good stainless welder dude lined up who will likely work for beer (in case I go the stainless welded route), and several later phases of the mancave construction are due this weekend and next. Siding and insulation are about to be installed, and an air-conditioner picked out (not a friggin' cheep walmart model either, a real friggin' good one). My big-screen flat screen TV is being donated to the cause (I mostly watch TV on my computer or downstairs where there's already a TV), and that's going out this weekend too. Nascar, football, MMA, Fishin', ESPN-Ocho, you name it, there will always be some sort of sports going 24/7. It's a friggin' man-cave, after all!

It looks like we're going to build the freezer/controller units right into the underside of the deck, complete in their own trap-door insulated boxes (and appropriate re-wiring of the building, including proper circuit breakers and wiring etc etc). Haven't quite figured out the lifting mechanism to get the beer out of the freezers yet, but it will involve mechanics applied so as to preserve the backs of two dudes who still think their 21 (but aren't).

 

Temp control should be pretty golden. I haven't had an issue with the first freezer controller setup, and this is the same model controller (I tend to think the freezer will likely be reliable enough). My beers have had very consistent fermentation temperatures all year long (except in dead of winter, when the power went out lol*, but anything being too cold won't be an issue here for about nine more months lol).

I think my pitch rate will be good. Beersmith called for 368 billion cells or something like that, and I basically doubled my efforts and volumes on the starter, so I'm not going to worry about that.

Oxygenation might be an issue, depending how much oxygenation is required. I do NOT have an oxygen injection system. The beer was poured through the strainer (which oxygenates some) and then stirred vigorously with a big spoon. Judging from the foam, I oxygenated the shit out of it, as best as can be done without actually having oxygen containers. Hopefully this is good, because that's what's done.

*even then, twasn't nuttin' to it. My ales got a little cold but they didn't freeze and the yeast didn't really seem to mind, as it was gradual, and it was after primary fermentation had already finished

 

Long time coming, here's the follow up for this one:

Although I'm still kicking myself for starting this beer, supposedly ready Oct 1st, and NOT making it an Oktoberfest, I am pleased to report that not only has it been completed, but it came out tasty beer!

It lagered for just shy of ten weeks at 33F. Bottled normally, and about three weeks later, it's damn tasty stuff! Could have a bit better clarity but ultimately flavor says "good" and I ain't gonna argue with that.

Next lager will likely be an overdue Oktoberfest sorta thing, actually it will likely be just Munich malt plus something
I already have in stock for hops (cascade, willamette, bravo are likely candidates).

So first lager = success.

In the meantime I've "gone back to basics" and brewed five in a row that were either smash or repeats of old successes (blonde ale, petite saison smash etc). Had one issue in that one of my buckets got infected with something, so it's now retired. Not going to mess with trying to figure it out, just gonna retire it and move on with clean, fresh buckets. Not into making sours.