[erockrph]

I pitch at 45F, then set my temp controller to 50 and walk away for a week. Then I start bumping the temp by 3 degrees every 2-3 days. By the end of week 2 you should generally be ready to check for diacetyl, then crash and lager on a beer this size.

If you're bottle conditioning, you may be better off lagering in the bottles. Cold crash for 1-2 days, bottle, then let them sit warm for 2-3 weeks until fully carbonated. You can then lager them as cold as you can. This way you could drink some right away if you wanted, while the remaining bottles should continue to improve with some added cold-aging. I've done this several times, and it's a great option if you're not kegging.

[denny]

I pitch at 45F, then set my temp controller to 50 and walk away for a week. Then I start bumping the temp by 3 degrees every 2-3 days. By the end of week 2 you should generally be ready to check for diacetyl, then crash and lager on a beer this size.

If you're bottle conditioning, you may be better off lagering in the bottles. Cold crash for 1-2 days, bottle, then let them sit warm for 2-3 weeks until fully carbonated. You can then lager them as cold as you can. This way you could drink some right away if you wanted, while the remaining bottles should continue to improve with some added cold-aging. I've done this several times, and it's a great option if you're not kegging.

I'm about to try something similar.  A guy I know on Facebook uses this schedule and people who have tried it have glowing reports....


    Chill wort to pitching temp (48°-53°F), pitch adequately sized starter (decanted), set regulator to initial fermentation temp (50°-55°F), and leave beer to ferment 5 days. (+5 days)
   
On the morning of the 5th day (beer should be over 50% attenuated), remove probe from side of fermentor so it measures ambient temp inside chamber and bump regulator up 3°-5°F; continue raising ambient temp 3°-5°F every 12 hours until you reach 65°F then leave it for 2-3 days to finish fermenting and cleaning up. (+5 days = 10 days)
   
On day 11, start ramping the ambient temp of the chamber down 5°F every 12 hours until it reaches 30°F and let it cold crash/lager for 3-4 more days. (+8 days = 18 days)
   
Rack cold (and usually very clear) beer to kegs, put kegs in kegerator/keezer on gas, leave for a week, serve! (+7 days = 24 days)

Full article at http://brulosophy.com/lager-method/

[morticaixavier]

I pitch at 45F, then set my temp controller to 50 and walk away for a week. Then I start bumping the temp by 3 degrees every 2-3 days. By the end of week 2 you should generally be ready to check for diacetyl, then crash and lager on a beer this size.

If you're bottle conditioning, you may be better off lagering in the bottles. Cold crash for 1-2 days, bottle, then let them sit warm for 2-3 weeks until fully carbonated. You can then lager them as cold as you can. This way you could drink some right away if you wanted, while the remaining bottles should continue to improve with some added cold-aging. I've done this several times, and it's a great option if you're not kegging.

I'm about to try something similar.  A guy I know on Facebook uses this schedule and people who have tried it have glowing reports....


    Chill wort to pitching temp (48°-53°F), pitch adequately sized starter (decanted), set regulator to initial fermentation temp (50°-55°F), and leave beer to ferment 5 days. (+5 days)
   
On the morning of the 5th day (beer should be over 50% attenuated), remove probe from side of fermentor so it measures ambient temp inside chamber and bump regulator up 3°-5°F; continue raising ambient temp 3°-5°F every 12 hours until you reach 65°F then leave it for 2-3 days to finish fermenting and cleaning up. (+5 days = 10 days)
   
On day 11, start ramping the ambient temp of the chamber down 5°F every 12 hours until it reaches 30°F and let it cold crash/lager for 3-4 more days. (+8 days = 18 days)
   
Rack cold (and usually very clear) beer to kegs, put kegs in kegerator/keezer on gas, leave for a week, serve! (+7 days = 24 days)

Full article at http://brulosophy.com/lager-method/

this is not too far off my method either.

[69franx]

Thanks for all the replies. I like what I see. I will be bottle conditioning, and am curious about the lager step. Do I need to secondary, or is this just like all the replies i have seen for ales: just leave it in primary?

[erockrph]

Thanks for all the replies. I like what I see. I will be bottle conditioning, and am curious about the lager step. Do I need to secondary, or is this just like all the replies i have seen for ales: just leave it in primary?

There is no need to have a separate vessel just for the lagering step. Lagering is simply cold-conditioning and can be done either in the primary or the bottle/keg.

[69franx]

I'm about to try something similar.  A guy I know on Facebook uses this schedule and people who have tried it have glowing reports....


    Chill wort to pitching temp (48°-53°F), pitch adequately sized starter (decanted), set regulator to initial fermentation temp (50°-55°F), and leave beer to ferment 5 days. (+5 days)
   
On the morning of the 5th day (beer should be over 50% attenuated), remove probe from side of fermentor so it measures ambient temp inside chamber and bump regulator up 3°-5°F; continue raising ambient temp 3°-5°F every 12 hours until you reach 65°F then leave it for 2-3 days to finish fermenting and cleaning up. (+5 days = 10 days)
   
On day 11, start ramping the ambient temp of the chamber down 5°F every 12 hours until it reaches 30°F and let it cold crash/lager for 3-4 more days. (+8 days = 18 days)
   
Rack cold (and usually very clear) beer to kegs, put kegs in kegerator/keezer on gas, leave for a week, serve! (+7 days = 24 days)

Full article at http://brulosophy.com/lager-method/
[/quote]
If I follow this schedule, and plan to bottle, when he says he racks cold beer to kegs, should I bottle cold beer or let it come to room temp before bottling.

[morticaixavier]

[...]
If I follow this schedule, and plan to bottle, when he says he racks cold beer to kegs, should I bottle cold beer or let it come to room temp before bottling.

You can bottle cold but you have to bring it up to room temp to carb. This would probably happen quicker to a bunch of bottles than to 5 gallons in a bucket though.

[klickitat jim]

I'm about to try something similar.  A guy I know on Facebook uses this schedule and people who have tried it have glowing reports....


    Chill wort to pitching temp (48°-53°F), pitch adequately sized starter (decanted), set regulator to initial fermentation temp (50°-55°F), and leave beer to ferment 5 days. (+5 days)
   
On the morning of the 5th day (beer should be over 50% attenuated), remove probe from side of fermentor so it measures ambient temp inside chamber and bump regulator up 3°-5°F; continue raising ambient temp 3°-5°F every 12 hours until you reach 65°F then leave it for 2-3 days to finish fermenting and cleaning up. (+5 days = 10 days)
   
On day 11, start ramping the ambient temp of the chamber down 5°F every 12 hours until it reaches 30°F and let it cold crash/lager for 3-4 more days. (+8 days = 18 days)
   
Rack cold (and usually very clear) beer to kegs, put kegs in kegerator/keezer on gas, leave for a week, serve! (+7 days = 24 days)

Full article at http://brulosophy.com/lager-method/

If I follow this schedule, and plan to bottle, when he says he racks cold beer to kegs, should I bottle cold beer or let it come to room temp before bottling.
[/quote]

The real trick will be getting your yeast to follow the calendar. I would personally go by hydrometer readings. It might be done fermenting in 11 days, or 21, or ? and the byproducts like diacetyl might be gone by then, or a few days later, but smelling and tasting your hydrometer sample will verify that.

[69franx]

Yes, I won't plan in crashing without an acceptable gravity reading

[klickitat jim]

I figured. Good on ya

[69franx]

Bump for more questions. I brewed my Marzen on August 10, and tried to follow the above ferm schedule. When it was time to begin crashing (time wise,) I checked gravity and was still 8 points too high at 1.022. I am leaving for LA tomorrow evening, and am still at 1.017 vs expected 1.014. I have not crashed yet, waiting for final gravity. Here's the question, and I'm at 50 degrees right now, if I drop temp tonight, tomorrow morning and tomorrow afternoon, I can be around 45 degrees. Should I drop it faster, or let it run somewhere in the middle till I get back in town next week? If I crash it for 8 days, will there be enough yeast to carb and bottle condition after lager temps for that long? Any input will help to allay my fears if dropping the ball on my first lager. Thanks in advance


Sent from The Alpine Brewery using Tapatalk

[HoosierBrew]

If you feel that the beer hasn't attenuated (and 1.017 is slightly high FG for Marzen), then I wouldn't rush your schedule. Dropping temps on a beer that hasn't hit terminal gravity will not help it do that, for sure. I would leave the beer @ 50F until you get back, then check FG and go from there - if it's @ 1.017 when you get back, then you'll know it's your FG.  And BTW, there will be enough yeast in the beer to carb up your bottles.

[69franx]

Thanks Jon, will do!


Sent from The Alpine Brewery using Tapatalk

[69franx]

Well here's the first look at my Marzen. Maybe a little early but it looks great. Last couple weeks took care of the residual sweetness that bothered me in my samples. I think it turned out great for my first lager. Thanks for all the help!



Sent from The Alpine Brewery using Tapatalk

[69franx]

The 22oz bomber looks like nothing in this liter stein from Newport HBH


Sent from The Alpine Brewery using Tapatalk