Bottling/lagering

[andymacintyre]

My first pilsner (done with w34/70 yeast) is nearing the end of its fermentation and I am trying to decide what too do next.
I'd like to put half in a corny and bottle the other half.
The corny side of things is clear enough, I will rack from primary to corny (don't think I will bother with finings) and lager it at -1c for 12 weeks or so.

Not sure what to do about bottling. Should I lager the other half in a corny also and then prime/bottle after lagering (perhaps adding a little new yeast with the priming sugars).
Or can I bottle it now with priming sugar, leave in the warm for a couple of weeks to carbonate and then give it a long lagering in the bottle?

Not sure which is the best way to go for the bottles....

 

[corby_brewer]

This is something that ive been reading up on over the last couple of days. Now ive read that there isnt any need to prime bottles or even add finnings as any beer / lager will clear and corbonate on it own given time. Also so ive read the only reason brewery carbonate there beer's is to get a quick turn around. So personly i would suggest that you bottle your larger without any priming sugars, then store it at the correct temperature for about 4 to 5 weeks then it should be ok.

 

[Aleman]

And then learn to like to drink it flat!

Most breweries (When casking) will stop fermentation early by crash cooling, with a couple of gravity points left to go . . . fermentation will then continue in cask. If you have such close control of the fermentation process then you can do the same for lager beers. Crash cool early, rack to lagering vessel, and lager. However, with an extended period of lagering before bottling (The correct way to do it) there is likely to be very little yeast in suspension, and the beer will fail to carbonate. Many German brewers add speise at this time (Speise - actively fermenting fresh wort), to ensure that carbonation will occur . . . we can do the same by adding a small amount of fresh yeast (0.1-0.2g per gallon).

If you can't control fermentation accurately then you are much better off lagering then adding priming sugars and fresh yeast when you bottle.

 

[andymacintyre]

Great thanks for the advice. Will lager and then bottle.
I have read that it is OK to add a different yeast strain at bottling to carbonate, such as nottingham.
I dare say its not the perfectionist way to do it but if the result is acceptable....

 

[corby_brewer]

And then learn to like to drink it flat!

Ill stand corrected. Aleman as years of experience there as ive just been reading up on various forums.
Andy, if i was you i would follow Alemans advice and ignore anything ive posted