Lager Question

[Nosybear]

Yep, going with the evidence, I'm beginning to wonder if that lagering stuff is worth it but I'll keep on at it until I have evidence, maybe a batch or two, to tell me I don't need it. Fortunately the fridge I lager in was free.

 

[Nosybear]

And as to schedule: See above. I figure eight weeks for a light lager, since I bottle condition. Two weeks primary, four weeks lager, two weeks to condition. The Helles I put through this regime took a silver at the Colorado State Fair in what one of the judges afterward (I know him and met him at the local brew pub, although he didn't know at the time he was judging my beer) called a very tough category. At some point this winter, I'll take the same recipe - it's extract so the recipe will be VERY consistent - through the fast lager process, at that point I can compare results. My day job is process efficiency so if I can cut out the long lagering process, it's time to do so.

 

[i drink to forget]

I don't know why you'd particularly want to let it go warm for the first couple weeks? It'll still eat the sugar and carbonate at the lower temp. That said I doubt it'll do much harm as long as you give out time to lager.
Still I'd definitely go with your plan but bottle condition cool for six weeks instead of going warm fir the first bit.

 

[GFHomebrew]

New to this so do t take this post as any advise but I just brewed brulosophers moctoberfest with 34/70 fully fermented at day 6 smelt egg fart for two days in that ferment period raised temp to 20c it's cleared up ive just kegged the beer today at day 7 will let it lager for a few weeks but am totally winging it hoping it'll turn out clean. But am in the same boat as you time will tell. 1st lager beer btw but hoping all that malt will cover up any mistakes

 

[J A]

New to this so do t take this post as any advise but I just brewed brulosophers moctoberfest with 34/70 fully fermented at day 6 smelt egg fart for two days in that ferment period raised temp to 20c it's cleared up ive just kegged the beer today at day 7 will let it lager for a few weeks but am totally winging it hoping it'll turn out clean. But am in the same boat as you time will tell. 1st lager beer btw but hoping all that malt will cover up any mistakes

I did a Pils with 34/70 using that schedule and it turned out great. It's taken a little while to clear in the keg, but it's really a good beer. The yeast is very clean and the malt is nice and full and hops really come through nicely.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

you cant rely on the smell of the yeast while fermenting, Ive had awful smelling carboys turn out to be great beer

 

[J A]

I think sulfur clears quicker/better than fruity esters. The first time I used S-23 at ale temps it was pretty god-awful for a day or two. Even in secondary it carried a lot of sulfur. I kegged it early while it was still throwing off some of that aroma. As I carbed over a few days and purged the headspace a few times, it went away completely. It was great tasting beer and there was no trace of sulfur in the flavor or aroma after a week in the keg.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Yep that's what I've been doing to that brew purging it when I get home from work don't want to be pulling a pint a fart from me tap on completion ha ha. But yea first time with lager yeast it definitely is a different animal so to speak.

 

[J A]

I'm actually getting a little sulfur off of a Pale Ale with US-05 right now. Not very intense, but I've never gotten any from that yeast. I suspect that it's a combination of a really malty local 2-Row, new water additives and relatively low fermentation temp with this batch. I associate sulfur during fermentation with a more malt-forward flavor and lack of fruity esters, so I don't mind getting a whiff of that during this particular fermentation.