[JT]

My first lager is crashing now pretty stoked to sample that marzen.  Everything I've read above matches what I've been hearing more recently about lagers.  I'm going to age mine about a month - just because I can and am in no rush. 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[BrodyR]

Yea, I'll probably lager a month as well and tap it in time for Oktoberfest/Football season.

[denny]

Nice, Denny - So what's your process for crystal clear in 3 weeks? Gelatin?

My process was:

Built a 2l starter, pitched the morning after brew day
Fermented at 52f (low end of WLP820)
After 2 weeks (80% attenuation & diacytel gone) I cold crashed for a week then racked into a keg with biofine
I pulled a couple samples a few days later with a decent bit of yeast left (think I sucked up a little that had crashed to bottom of bucket)

Nope, no gelatin.  I follow Marshall/Mike's fast lager fermentation schedule, then crash it at 30F.

[BrodyR]

Hmm, I need to try out that method. The big difference I remember is that you ramp the temp up at around the week mark for a quick finish/clean up?

[denny]

Hmm, I need to try out that method. The big difference I remember is that you ramp the temp up at around the week mark for a quick finish/clean up?

More like 4-5 days, but it depends....http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

[beersk]

Denny, you crash in buckets, yes? Does it suck all your sanitizer back from the airlock? That's only thing I don't like about cold crashing.
Gelatin works, but then you have to put that nasty sh*t in your beer. I try not to add anything "unnatural" if I can help it.

[a10t2]

Denny, you crash in buckets, yes? Does it suck all your sanitizer back from the airlock? That's only thing I don't like about cold crashing.

If you fill the airlock to the line that doesn't happen. A few milliliters of sanitizer isn't going to do anything, though.

[Joe Sr.]

Denny, you crash in buckets, yes? Does it suck all your sanitizer back from the airlock? That's only thing I don't like about cold crashing.
Gelatin works, but then you have to put that nasty sh*t in your beer. I try not to add anything "unnatural" if I can help it.

Gelatin is not "unnatural."  Quite the opposite.

It is, however, not vegan.

[HoosierBrew]

Gelatin is not "unnatural."  Quite the opposite.

It is, however, not vegan.

+1

[beersk]

Denny, you crash in buckets, yes? Does it suck all your sanitizer back from the airlock? That's only thing I don't like about cold crashing.

If you fill the airlock to the line that doesn't happen. A few milliliters of sanitizer isn't going to do anything, though.

It always does for me...

@Joe Sr. - True, but it's gross to me. I use it on the occasion, but typically avoid it and just give the beer time and it clears just fine. I don't usually need my beer clear RIGHT NOW anyway.

[Joe Sr.]

I can see the gross factor. 

Time and cold work just as well.  I reserve gelatin for stubborn beers that just. wont. clear.

The first couple times I used gelatin I don't know what I did for sure, but I did it wrong.  I wound up with bottles that had chunks of gelatin in the bottom.  It was years before I tried it again. 

I will fine a keg.  Then transfer to a clean keg.  All the grossness gets left behind.

[denny]

Denny, you crash in buckets, yes? Does it suck all your sanitizer back from the airlock? That's only thing I don't like about cold crashing.
Gelatin works, but then you have to put that nasty sh*t in your beer. I try not to add anything "unnatural" if I can help it.

What sanitizer?  What airlock?  By the time you crash, there's no need for either.  I out stopper in the bucket lid in place of the airlock.

[HoosierBrew]

The first couple times I used gelatin I don't know what I did for sure, but I did it wrong.  I wound up with bottles that had chunks of gelatin in the bottom. 

I ran into that the first time I used gelatin, too. Almost gave up on using it again. I found there are a lot of different methods posted out there on how to use gelatin, but the ones that give you the gelatin chunks are the ones that have you warm the mixture excessively. Too warm and it wants to congeal when it cools in your beer. This method is bulletproof every time. It's what I do now :   http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/06/how-to-clear-your-beer-with-gelatin.html

FWIW, I don't use it every time either. Just on certain beers and stubborn, powdery yeast strains.

[Joe Sr.]

Yeah.  I probably boiled it the first time.  But who knows?  That was way back in the day.

The last few years I have followed pretty much the same method that you posted and no problems.

[wobdee]

Tapped my first 5 micron filtered Helles the other day, it was 3 weeks in the keg. It tastes great, smooth malty and clean. Pretty similar in taste to the same recipe that I tapped after six weeks except there was still a slight chill haze.

The first pour had no yeast sludge or floaties and when you brew small 2.5 gal batches like me it can be annoying having dirty lager for the first few pints.

Filtering doesn't seem to be that big of a deal to me, I just use gravity like I always did before but install a water cartridge filter in line to the keg. I guess the downside is one more thing to clean and sanitize as well as a little more cost for filters.