First Lager - Oxidation Worries

[Chris17]

I'm planning on brewing my first lager in a week or so and there are a couple of issues I'm concerned about including oxidation during cold crashing and then during lagering. Currently this is my plan for fermentation and lagering:

Ferment around 10°C
Raise temp to 18°C for two days for Diactyl rest once fermentation has complete or when within a couple of points of terminal gravity
Cold crash for a couple of days then lager for a couple of months

Just wondering if you could advise on the following points:

1. How much of a risk of oxidation is there during the cold crashing? I'm usually not bothered about hazy beer so have never cold crashed before. However I know that there can be a risk as the beer cools and absorbs the CO2 sat on top of the beer and then oxygen after that. I'll be fermenting a small 10L batch in a 23L bucket, so a hell of a lot of head space.

2. When would the best time to transfer to a secondary be? My secondary will be two 5L demijohns, so a seriously reduced head space! My thinking is that it would be best to cold crash first, this way the larger head space in my primary will allow more CO2 to be absorbed as apposed to oxygen?

3. How much trouble will unstable lagering temps cause me? I'm planning 2 brews in the months after brewing my lager, so was planning on using my fermentation fridge for these and taking advantage of the winter temperatures by just lagering in the garage. However this will obviously lead to unstable temps, so not sure if its a good plan or not! Depending on how long I lager for, I'll be able to move back to the fridge when the weather starts getting warmer!

Thanks for any help!

 

[crowcrow]

I am not careful at all about oxygen and beer. I cold crash in the bucket I brew in, then syphon into the corny and serve - usually drinking it within an hour of it leaving the fermentation bucket. But i have only brewed hoppy APAs so far, so that could be hiding my bad technique. But I'd say not to worry.

I've not yet brewed a lager yet, but I have read that a consistent temp is important to a clean taste - but so much I read seems to be wrong

Out of interest, why do you transfer to a second vessel?

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

I'm planning on brewing my first lager in a week or so and there are a couple of issues I'm concerned about including oxidation during cold crashing and then during lagering. Currently this is my plan for fermentation and lagering:

Ferment around 10°C
Raise temp to 18°C for two days for Diactyl rest once fermentation has complete or when within a couple of points of terminal gravity
Cold crash for a couple of days then lager for a couple of months

Just wondering if you could advise on the following points:

1. How much of a risk of oxidation is there during the cold crashing? I'm usually not bothered about hazy beer so have never cold crashed before. However I know that there can be a risk as the beer cools and absorbs the CO2 sat on top of the beer and then oxygen after that. I'll be fermenting a small 10L batch in a 23L bucket, so a hell of a lot of head space.

2. When would the best time to transfer to a secondary be? My secondary will be two 5L demijohns, so a seriously reduced head space! My thinking is that it would be best to cold crash first, this way the larger head space in my primary will allow more CO2 to be absorbed as apposed to oxygen?

3. How much trouble will unstable lagering temps cause me? I'm planning 2 brews in the months after brewing my lager, so was planning on using my fermentation fridge for these and taking advantage of the winter temperatures by just lagering in the garage. However this will obviously lead to unstable temps, so not sure if its a good plan or not! Depending on how long I lager for, I'll be able to move back to the fridge when the weather starts getting warmer!

Thanks for any help!

Lot's of questions there - so will do my best

Fermenting at 10C - what yeast are you using - that's sounds very cold

Oxidisation during cold crash - very little chance of oxidisation, The head space is irrelevant

I have been brewing for nearly 30 years and (so far) have not had an issue with oxidisation

Remember that the human race has been brewing for more than 10,000 years, it's quite hard to mess brewing up

Relax

I leave my beer in the fermenting vessel for 5 to 6 weeks to condition so do not move to a second vessel

How are you planning to carbonate? Keg or bottle?

I think that you are worrying too much about oxidisation, once conditioning you need to try and exclude oxygen - but it's beer - just enjoy your hobby

Changing temps at conditioning stage will make no difference whatsoever

Private message me if that would help

 

[Chris17]

I am not careful at all about oxygen and beer. I cold crash in the bucket I brew in, then syphon into the corny and serve - usually drinking it within an hour of it leaving the fermentation bucket. But i have only brewed hoppy APAs so far, so that could be hiding my bad technique. But I'd say not to worry.

I've not yet brewed a lager yet, but I have read that a consistent temp is important to a clean taste - but so much I read seems to be wrong

Out of interest, why do you transfer to a second vessel?

Hoppy beers tend to be more at risk of oxidisation from what I’ve read! Do you think it could be how quickly you are drinking it and the fact that you are kegging, why you have not experienced any oxygen issues? My last two brews were super hoppy east coast style IPA’s, I kegged half and bottled half (only have a mini keg) and both the bottles batches become oxidised before they even carbonated!

Lot's of questions there - so will do my best

Fermenting at 10C - what yeast are you using - that's sounds very cold

Oxidisation during cold crash - very little chance of oxidisation, The head space is irrelevant

I have been brewing for nearly 30 years and (so far) have not had an issue with oxidisation

Remember that the human race has been brewing for more than 10,000 years, it's quite hard to mess brewing up

Relax

I leave my beer in the fermenting vessel for 5 to 6 weeks to condition so do not move to a second vessel

How are you planning to carbonate? Keg or bottle?

I think that you are worrying too much about oxidisation, once conditioning you need to try and exclude oxygen - but it's beer - just enjoy your hobby

Changing temps at conditioning stage will make no difference whatsoever

Private message me if that would help

I’m using Wyeast 2007 - Pilsen. I think temp range is around 9-13C. And I’m planning on priming and bottling.

Thanks for the advice, the only reason I’m overthinking it so much is that my next three brews are going to be my last 3 for a while. This is probably going to be my only batch of homebrew to drink during the summer, so I want to get it right! Expecting my first child in April so the brewing is going to have to take a back seat! As I said above my last two batches have both become heavily oxidised pretty quickly, but they were both super hoppy, with tonnes of dry hops which obviously adds a bit of a risk!