Lagering Temps

[skolvikes]

I currently have a NB Czech Pilsner Lager that has been in Primary for 2 weeks. Due to the crazy spring temps the beer temp has gone up about a degree a day from 48 to and is now sitting at 60. I think its ok so far and I am going to let it sit at 60 for a couple of days and let it D-rest.

Here is my question/problem. This is my 2nd lager. The first, a Bock has been lagering at 37 in my freezer for about a week. My preliminary plan is to lower the freezer to 33 for a couple of days, wrap a blanket around the bock to insulate it the best I can then raise the Freezer temp to about 55 before putting in the Czech, then lowering it 4 degrees a day until it is back at 37. Anyone see a problem with this other than warming up the keg of Klosch that is also in there so it is too warm to drink for a couple of days? Or should I just leave the freezer at 37 and throw in the Czech and hope for the best? The reviews on the NB website seem to indicate it is pretty forgiving for a lager. The other option I guess would be some sort of swamp cooler setup to lower the Czech temp.

Thanks in Advance

Jon

[dobe12]

I’d just leave the Pilsner sit at 60 for 2-3days then right in the fridge where it is set. I routinely use this timeline for lagers. I pitch and hold around 50F for 7-10days then raise the temp a few degrees a day until it’s up to about 60-65F and hold for 2-3 days. Then I drop it down to 35F for 8-10 weeks to lager. This system works well.

For bigger beers, like the Imperial Pils I have lagering right now, I’ll hold the initial ferm temp of 50F for 10-14 days then slowly raise it up. But the rest of the process it the same.

My lagers have always turned out well attenuated, crisp and smooth.

[muddywater_grant]

[quote=“dobe12”]I’d just leave the Pilsner sit at 60 for 2-3days then right in the fridge where it is set. I routinely use this timeline for lagers. I pitch and hold around 50F for 7-10days then raise the temp a few degrees a day until it’s up to about 60-65F and hold for 2-3 days. Then I drop it down to 35F for 8-10 weeks to lager. This system works well.

For bigger beers, like the Imperial Pils I have lagering right now, I’ll hold the initial ferm temp of 50F for 10-14 days then slowly raise it up. But the rest of the process it the same.

My lagers have always turned out well attenuated, crisp and smooth.[/quote]

I think I will give your technique a try with a pils I have going right now. only other true lager I ever did was an ofest. and I wasn’t the happiest with the results. hopefully this will bring better results.

[alss]

I’d leave the freezer at 37, wrap the blanket around the Pilsner to keep it a bit warmer, put it in the fridge, and wait until the bock and pilsner both got to 37 before lowering the temp to near-freezing lagering temp. I cannot see any harm in lowering the pilsner temp from 55 to 37 at a temp equalizing pace. It probably won’t be a 4-degree-per-day rate, but it will be moderate enough. The fact is that you want to lower the temp of the pilsner, so why raise the tempof the Bock? A slightly faster rate of temp drop for the pils shoud cause no issues for it’s flavor.

[skolvikes]

Thanks, guys for the replies. I was worried about dropping the temp of the Pilsner too fast but it sounds like that shouldn’t be a problem so I will just rack it and chill it