Well the temperature has dropped, so I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and try to make another lager. So I brewed the beer last Thursday and finished with an OG of 1.038, and am fermenting at 53 F with 2 packs of Cal Lager yeast.
Here is the problem for the lager experts in the club. This is only my second lager, and the resources (Palmer and Homebrew talk) I read differ in techniques from the fermentation process to secondary. Some say to gradually increase the temp after week 1 of fermentation, while others say to hold it steady until I get down to the desired FG, before bringing the temp up to 70 F for a 48 hour diacetyl rest. Then start the lager for 4 - 6 weeks at 38 F.
My first lager had loads of buttery diacetyl. I did a diacetyl rest, but my fermentation temp control was all over the board, and I know I moved the beer from the primary way early, as the gravity was somewhere around 1.017. So hopefully, with better temp control and a longer primary stage, the diacetyl will be non-existent. But any tips would be welcome. By the way, I plan on re-using the trub for another beer. Not sure what I want to brew on it yet though. Something that would fit the yeast style.
7 days into our black lager.
7 days into our black lager. Bavarian Lager yeast. Keeping it dead on 52F. I'll leave it at that for 2 more weeks ,24-36 hours at room temp then move to a keg.
I let my lagers sit in
I let my lagers sit in primary for 4 weeks. I don't do a D rest b/c the yeast has a couple weeks to clean up the beer when I just leave it alone.
I rack directly to a keg after primary and lager in that.
As Will said...the Cal. Common strain is not a lager strain....so you don't need to lager the beer. It is a poor attenuator though....so don't expect a crisp, dry, clean lager profile.
Hmm...
So what could I do to dry it out a bit more? I was going to get a the Bavarian Lager yeast, but Doug suggested the Cal Lager since it would be tough to get my temp below 53. After 7 days at 53, the gravity is down to 1.015, and the flavor is pretty much what I was expecting given the grist, though a tad sweet. Any how, I bumped the temp up to 55-57 and will give it another week to see what happens. Either way, I like the idea of extending the primary to let the yeast naturally eat up the diacetyl.
flying dog shirt
Bischoff, I want my shirt washed, dryed, folded and delivered to my house tomorrow night at the meeting. If you forget it, everything that everyone says about you is true! : )
Ah shit.
Well what everyone says about me is likely true anyway except that I have NEVER been into the beastiality thing. Damn if I did not have it dry cleaned and hung. Will wash and fold with the appropriate creases :-)
Fred ain't playing around
Fred ain't playing around witht the Flying Dog shirt HaHaHa!
I don't know your grist
I don't know your grist bill, mash temp or pitching rate....but I'd bet you won't see thatgo much lower than where you are now. It may drop another point or two.
I would let that strain primary for two weeks....then package. It does not need a long primary.
Wanted a challenge
So I tried to make a flavorless light lager. Ashamed to say the grist is 6 lbs. of German Pilsner, 1/2 lb of Vienna, 1/2 lb of flaked corn. Mash temp was 151 F. Batch Sparge.... And I did vorlauf each time. So who knows. It may turn out to be more like a Helles than a light lager, but sure to make my macro brew drinking friends happy.
well i think with cal common
well i think with cal common yeast 53 is to cold. try 60 with cal common you dont need a d- rest due to its an ale and lager