Lager temperature

[Kent]

Hi All,

I am brewing the vienna lager from Northern Brewer. I’m using the Wyeast 2124 lager yeast. It has been in primary fermentation for about 2 weeks. I have a fermentation chamber and have fermented at 55 degrees F. Today I moved it into secondary. The recipe advises lagering for the next 4 weeks but there are no details regarding temperature.

My question is how would you lager from this point? Is it reasonable to continue at 55 degrees for 3 weeks followed by 32 degrees for a week to clarify? Any need to warm for a few days to metabolize diacetyl products? What would you all suggest and how do you rationalize your lagering procedure?

thanks for any thoughts
Kent

[Grantmesteven]

I would drop it to near freezing for the 4 weeks. The longer the better in my experience. Do you bottle or keg?

[loopie_beer]

Hard to tell if you need a Diacetyl Rest without sampling the beer. You can do a forced diacetyl test. Take a sample and put it in a sealed container. Heat the sample to 140°-150° for 10 mins. You can let it cool or move directly to smelling /sampling. If you smell diacetyl bring the beer up to room temp for a few days.
As far as lagering, do it as close to freezing as possible. Not sure if you keg or bottle but kegs make excellent lagering vessels.

[dannyboy58]

I’d let it warm up to 65ish+ for a few days for a D rest, then lager as close to freezing as you can. I always lager in the keg.

[sneezles61]

I like to warm up to room temp… Let the yeast finish their party… Rack to the keg with gas… Seat the lid with 40 psi gas… Then cold crash… I always worry of putting warm brew into the fridge , then cold crashing… It’ll suck in air… And sometimes what’s wafting around in there shouldn’t get into a brew…
Sneezles61

[dannyboy58]

Pull the prv a few times to get the air out and that’s pretty much my MO.

[Kent]

Hi All,

Thank you for the excellent responses to my question about lagering. I wanted to add that I bottle condition.

I’m wondering if bottle conditioning is more difficult or slower after lagering? Can I add corn sugar to this clarified beer after a month of lagering and expect it to carbonate like my room temperature ales? Do people do anything special when bottle conditioning a lager?

thanks
Kent

[voodoo_donut]

You could fully bottle condition, then lager. Easy as pie.

When I bottled, however, I lagered in a glass carboy for four or more weeks, warmed to room temp, then bottled as per usual with table sugar or corn sugar.
I never had any issues with slow carbonation. Bottle condition at warm room temperature.