Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: My First Lager  (Read 1987 times)

Offline anapsid

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 22
My First Lager
« on: April 16, 2014, 10:06:18 am »

I have made my first lager, and I am about to bottle.  I brewed it December 18th, and racked the beer January 28th allowing for a Diacetyle rest.  Since then it has been stored at about 36 degrees.  I was wondering before I bottle, do I need a new batch of yeast to add for carbonation?  I have been finding conflicting accounts on the web, and well AHA hasn't given me bad advice yet.

Offline chumley

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1208
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2014, 10:13:14 am »
When I used to bottle lagers, I never added yeast and my bottles always carbed.

I did try to siphon a little of the settled yeast cake into the bottling bucket, and that got stirred around with the priming sugar.

Offline udubdawg

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1081
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2014, 11:03:38 am »
you'll have plenty of yeast left to do the job w/o adding more.

once carbed you'll likely need a little cold conditioning time to get it perfectly clean again, but it won't take long.

Offline anapsid

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 22
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2014, 11:28:53 am »
Thanks guys, I was worried about ending my first lager with burst bottles instead of good beer.  I thought the advice was a little odd, since the yeast strains didn't mention that (and you think they would have a vested interest in me buying more).

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2014, 12:28:21 pm »
Thanks guys, I was worried about ending my first lager with burst bottles instead of good beer.  I thought the advice was a little odd, since the yeast strains didn't mention that (and you think they would have a vested interest in me buying more).

burst bottles have nothing to do with how much yeast is or isn't left when you bottle. if any yeast is left it will eventually consume all the sugar it is capable of and convert it to co2 and alcohol. burst bottles happen because you add way way too much priming sugar, bottle too soon, or have some other yeast/bacteria in there that is capable of consuming sugars/carbs your primary yeast was not.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline Steve L

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 501
  • Rocky Mount, VA
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2014, 06:16:57 pm »
I've only been brewing for about a year and I've done a few lagers. All the ones I lagered for say 1 month needed no additional yeast. I recently bottled a Doppelbock that I was concerned might not have a lot of yeast after a nearly 3 month lager so I added a bit in the bottling bucket. I used danstars CBC-1 which is supposed to be flavor neutral. I bottled 2 gallons and used about 1 gram of rehydrated yeast, which seems like almost nothing, but I figured a little insurance was worth it. It is showing good signs of carbing. The interesting thing is... would it have carbed on it's own.. Probably  ;)
« Last Edit: April 16, 2014, 06:18:49 pm by swlusk »
Corripe Cervisiam

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2014, 05:24:06 am »
OTOH a half packet of yeast in a five gallon batch might give you some extra security. Flat beer sucks.

Offline beersk

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3721
  • In the night!
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2014, 09:23:03 am »
OTOH a half packet of yeast in a five gallon batch might give you some extra security. Flat beer sucks.
Agreed. It's been lagering for 3 or so months? That's a pretty long time and the yeast are likely to be pretty much dropped out.
Jesse

rabeb25

  • Guest
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2014, 10:05:10 am »
Maybe a good opportunity to try those new carb pills from northern brewer.

Offline erockrph

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7788
  • Chepachet, RI
    • The Hop WHisperer
Re: My First Lager
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2014, 11:02:30 am »
What I've done for my bottle-conditioned lagers is to bottle after D-rest, wait 3 weeks or so for them to carbonate, then lager in the bottle. This way you don't have to worry about dropping out too much yeast during lagering. And you also get to sample your beer during cold-conditioning this way.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer