Bottle Conditioning a lager

adam.m · Sep 16, 2016

So I'm in the process of fermenting my first lager. It has been going since last Saturday. Shortly I'll do the diacetyl rest, followed by lagering at 33 degrees for 9 weeks or so. Obviously I'll take it down slowly.

Now I've heard conflicting reports after this. Some say that after it has lagered you need to add yeast before conditioning because there isn't enough yeast in what remains. Is it time based? Do folks have experience with this? Should I add more of the same (White Labs German Lager Yeast WLP830) prior to bottling (when I add in the conditioning DME)?

Also, a few things I've seen recommend conditioning at the fermentation temp (I'm at 52 right now), giving it a second diacetyl rest, and then lagering the bottles for a couple of weeks after. Is this overkill? Does it help?

Thanks for the time folks!

Cheers,

Adam

jeffpn · Sep 16, 2016

When I bottled, I did not add more yeast for conditioning. After my lager period, I added sugar, bottled, and then stored at room temperature to carbonate.

J A · Sep 16, 2016

Or you can lager in the bottle...finish fermentation, clear with a few days of cold-crash to drop most of the yeast, bottle as usual, carb at room temp for 2-3 weeks, lager for extended period in bottles. The advantage is not having lager fridge space tied up for 9 weeks with a carboy. Or having a carboy tied up, for that matter.

adam.m · Sep 17, 2016

Thanks for the replies, folks!

Nosybear · Sep 20, 2016

I lagered my Oktoberfest nearly three months, bottled it without adding yeast, checks fine. That's only one data point but as my oenologist friend reminds me when I talk about stopping half-dry wines, it only takes one cell and time.