12 degree ferment, what sort of timescale am I looking at?

[ScottM]

As above really. Just got my first proper lager on the go and I'm looking to brew at approx 12 degrees. What sort of timescale should I expect? 3-4 weeks or longer?

Thanks :)

 

[pittsy]

12 days is around fermentation period but remember normal ale is actually around 3 to 5 days , so before lagering or bottling you are looking at around 3 weeks in fv

 

[ScottM]

Yeah that's around what I was thinking. I've pitched at 24 and dumped it up the loft so hopefully that will give the yeast a good head start before the temps get lowwwwww

 

[Good Ed]

with lagers I don't even look at it for 3 weeks, it's usually done by then and I bottle

 

[swiggingpig]

I leave it 3 weeks, before chilling to 2C for a week and then transfer to a keg for a couple more weeks.

 

[ScottM]

Cheers guys. I was planning on lagering for a month but went out last night and it looks like my big fridge has given up the ghost so not sure what I'll be doing now

I've got at least 3 weeks to find a replacement though

 

[ScottM]

It's bubbling away like a maniac. Really strange to see it working away so well at such a low temperature

Currently sitting between 12 and 13 degrees, that sounds pretty good eh?

Quick query about the lagering again, do I transfer to secondary prior to dropping the temp or does it go through the whole process in the primary?

Cheers

 

[pittsy]

what you need to do is transfer it to a 2nd fv before fermentation is complete so when it's in 2nd fv it will have a protective c02 cover (which means no peaking at all once in 2nd fv) so you are looking at when your gravity gets to around 1020 , does that help.

 

[ScottM]

what you need to do is transfer it to a 2nd fv before fermentation is complete so when it's in 2nd fv it will have a protective c02 cover (which means no peaking at all once in 2nd fv) so you are looking at when your gravity gets to around 1020 , does that help.

Great stuff, thanks :thumb:

I don't want to upset it so I'll just leave it till the bubbles calm down and then transfer it.