If you lager a beer

tominboston · May 11, 2020, 11:38am

Well before our current challenges, my pipeline ran dry due to masonry work in the cellar, now over the past 6-8 weeks I have brewed about 20 gallons. Being tired of missing the Oktoberfest season due to not thinking about it until Sept, I brewed a batch of Oktoberfest Lager (all grain kit from our host) that I just transferred to a keg yesterday.
Since I have no need to get this beer on tap for a while (and have ingredients for a blonde ale coming next week), I thought I would lager this Oktoberfest. I have never let a batch sit for any length of time before. Right now its in the chest freezer at about 38 deg f with the co2 on at about 10psi. If its going to sit for a few months does it matter one way or the other what the gas pressure is? Maybe its a waste to keep it anything over a small min pressure until I get closer to tapping it… ?
Just curious what others do during the lager period.

Hope everyone is hanging in there.
Tom

sneezles61 · May 11, 2020, 11:49am

Good to hear from you and hope alls well on your side of this too!
I’ve tried to lager… But the temptation is too much… But I do keep gas on whilst lagering… Dare I say, I find the carbination is smoother?
Sneezles61

brew_cat · May 11, 2020, 12:11pm

I’ve brew Octoberfest beer in March and lagered until Octoberest which is the tradition. Almost all were perfect one got infected but that had to do with I believe my negligence. I would brew your ofest then keg. Carbonate it for a week or so put it in a cold dark corner. Occasionally give it a shot of gas just to make sure it didn’t leak out the gas. A week or 2 before serving release the gas and get the carbonation stable.

sneezles61 · May 11, 2020, 12:42pm

Let’s continue… I feel the CO2, when first (forced) into the brew just isn’t as “smooth” as it is after a few weeks… Even better right towards the end, just before the keg kicks… I’ve not been able to keep a keg, full and carbonating for a few months… So I’m curious if any one has on here and your perceived thoughts are…
Sneezles61

dannyboy58 · May 11, 2020, 1:38pm

I lager under pressure. You won’t use excess CO2 unless your keg leaks. Once the CO2 level stabliizes between the liquid and the headspace above it the demand for CO2 is minimal.

My advice on lagering temp is as close to freezing as you can get it. If you lager at 38 and then serve a degree or 2 lower you’ll get chill haze. just a suggestion.

@sneezles61 absolutely. In my opinion it takes 3-4 weeks (dependent upon temp and gas pressure) for the gas to become hydrolyzed the mouthfeel changes and the beer is fully matured.

tominboston · May 11, 2020, 2:43pm

Thanks guys ! I think I need to add a small fan inside my chest freezer to make the temp more uniform, I feel like there is a significant difference between the top and bottom. I am always a little nervous dropping the temp down to the lower 30’s.
Hopefully I can be disciplined enough to let this beer lager for a few months. Maybe I will picnic tap a mug in a few weeks and then in a few months and see if I can recall any difference.
Just need to keep brewing enough to keep the pipeline full then I wont get tempted to move it into the kegerator.
Thanks again!

brew_cat · May 11, 2020, 2:54pm

What are you nervous for I’ve actually frozen beer to get them to clear.

sneezles61 · May 11, 2020, 2:57pm

I’ve accidentally done that in the past… Put in the garage… Then I get wrapped around life’s axel… Remember a few weeks later!! Although, I never saw the keg get deformed… Enough CO2 to absorb the freezing effect?
Sneezles61

hd4mark · May 11, 2020, 5:02pm

I had one of these in our RV fridge. Takes a D cell battery. Might work.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Aireador-frigorífico-interruptor-encendido/dp/B01E5SNB5I/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3GXCJQ51RNKW6&dchild=1&keywords=rv+fridge+fan&qid=1589216391&sprefix=rv+fridge%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-3

tominboston · May 11, 2020, 6:22pm

Looks interesting, thanks. I was going to put a ‘Y’ splitter on the cooling plug off the inkbird so a little AC powered muffin fan would run when the unit was actively cooling. I will have to check this out.

dannyboy58 · May 11, 2020, 6:59pm

Beer won’t freeze until I think 28F anyway.

sneezles61 · May 11, 2020, 7:57pm

Depends on ABV… But it will freeze, albeit very slowly… Think of ice beer… oohh, winter X-beer meant coming up?
Sneezles61

brew_cat · May 11, 2020, 9:41pm

Anyone do an ice Bock?

sneezles61 · May 12, 2020, 12:09pm

When I first started, I did… Probably shouldn’t count as I knew very little about this hobby…
Sneezles61

hd4mark · May 13, 2020, 12:18pm

Not a Bock but I did an ice beer a long time ago when I was just starting to keg. Made a basic cream ale and after kegging set it out on the porch with Saran wrap over the top when it was about 10° out then scooped out the ice. If I remember correctly it was “crisp” but did have a little alcohol bite. Waited till summer to break it out and some friends got a pretty good buzz from it.

brew_cat · May 13, 2020, 1:52pm

I probably wouldn’t like it that strong

dannyboy58 · May 13, 2020, 1:56pm

Isn’t that the whole idea behind an ice bock? To increase the maltiness and alcochol content by scooping out the ice?

brew_cat · May 13, 2020, 2:08pm

Yes it is. I have no interest in brewing or drinking one. But since we were talking about freezing beer I figured I’d ask

dannyboy58 · May 13, 2020, 4:34pm

Same. Bocks are bit too malty sweet for me. I brewed a doppelbock a three times for a buddy a few years ago. He loved final one and said it was close to the beer he remembered from his time stationed in Germany. It was too sweet for me.

brew_cat · May 13, 2020, 4:50pm

Sweet? Did you use crystal malt?