[cheba420]

We're knocking out a Belgian Tripel today and it needs to be lagered. However, we've never lagered a beer before. The recipe, from BCS, reads that you ferment, transfer and carbonate then lager for a month. We intend to bottle this batch and naturally carbonate so heres the question: Should we bulk lager or fill the bottles, let them carbonate and then lager? Seems like if we bulk lager for a month, we may not have enough residual yeast in there to bottle condition correctly. I'd rather not hit the bottles with yeast if we dont have to. Any advice?

[erockrph]

We're knocking out a Belgian Tripel today and it needs to be lagered. However, we've never lagered a beer before. The recipe, from BCS, reads that you ferment, transfer and carbonate then lager for a month. We intend to bottle this batch and naturally carbonate so heres the question: Should we bulk lager or fill the bottles, let them carbonate and then lager? Seems like if we bulk lager for a month, we may not have enough residual yeast in there to bottle condition correctly. I'd rather not hit the bottles with yeast if we dont have to. Any advice?

I don't keg or have the capability to lager in bulk, so I have to bottle-carbonate then lager in the bottle. I can't speak to the bulk lagering side, but it does work perfectly fine if you lager in the bottle. Just let the bottles sit at least 3 weeks at room temp to carbonate before you lager them. Then you'll be fine.

[nateo]

I've never lagered a tripel. Is there a reason you want to do that? I don't think that's typical for the style.

[dannyjed]

I think keeping them at cellar temps after carbonation would be fine as well.

[cheba420]

Just following Jamil's directions in the book. If theres no need to lager this one, I'd prefer not to as it will take up a bunch of space in my beer fridge. Precious space that I need for my kegs!!

[majorvices]

I like to "lager" mine for a few (2-4) weeks at 32-28 degrees. Helps clear the beer, mellow out the alcohol character. You can do it in the bottle or in a bright tank/secondary. One thing I would recommend is to purge any secondary/bright tank with Co2 before racking. Or at least purge the head space.

[weithman5]

I've layered in the primary for over a month and then bottled still enough yeast to do it. You can transfer to a bottling bucket also and bring in a little of the yeast off the bottom and mix well with the priming sugar.

[HydraulicSammich]

I have a lager in the primary that will soon be four weeks old.  I usually leave it for four weeks and then rack to a keg and lager.  This beer I want to dry hop.  Has anyone just tossed in a couple of ounces of pellets in the primary for a additional week?  Then rack to keg and lager?

[erockrph]

I have a lager in the primary that will soon be four weeks old.  I usually leave it for four weeks and then rack to a keg and lager.  This beer I want to dry hop.  Has anyone just tossed in a couple of ounces of pellets in the primary for a additional week?  Then rack to keg and lager?

I like to dry hop warmer, so I combine my dry-hopping with a diacetyl rest at about 66-68F, then lager.