Lager

[GavH]

I've tried to keep it very very simple and not google extracts, this from brewing tons and tons of batches of lager, as no one in this household like ale, so this from my brewing experiences. Regarding Czech brewers, this is commercial brewing thousand of gallons at a time and not home brewing 5 gals, its totally different?

P.S The guy does NOT understand, so do NOT confuse him even more with rests etc...


Richard

I thought you hit the nail on the head. Sometimes we need things put to us in very simple terms to build on later.

 

[Aleman]

Guess I need to find a forum where people want to understand why we do things when we brew beer, rather than be told what to do . . . Good luck following the advice of someone who thinks that commercial brewing and home brewing is totally different!

 

[Gethin79]

I'm going to sit on the fence on this one... :whistle:

As a completely inexperienced brewer, (I still haven't fully completed my first brew), I have found this forum absolutely invaluable for information. Personally I need to know the reasons why I am doing something for it to make sense. I feel this way I can be more self-sufficient in a shorter space of time. I think once I know why I am doing something, I can figure out other things for myself.

That said, there are others who will be different to me, and who want to just know how to brew the beer to start with, and find out why later. Each to their own learning method, I say.

And on that note...I shall make a hasty retreat!! :lol:

 

[NickW]

I always like to know the reasons behind why things are done they way they are, and the advantages of different methods towards the same goal. Knowing the REASONS behind these things helps me make an informed choice...

And, if someone did tell me to do something a certain way, my next post would be "What is the reason for that?"

 

[mattyhall22]

I always like to know the reasons behind why things are done they way they are, and the advantages of different methods towards the same goal. Knowing the REASONS behind these things helps me make an informed choice...

And, if someone did tell me to do something a certain way, my next post would be "What is the reason for that?"

Agreed if you don't know the reason behind a method how can you develop it or truly get to grips with it?

:

 

[Adamjagger]

I have a big chest freezer that would be great for storing but highest temp it goes is -10 is there an easy way to give a bigger range on the thermostat to get to say 2deg?

 

[calumscott]

Yep. You need an STC-1000 temperature controller and plug it into that and use it to regulate the temperature.

 

[Adamjagger]

Yep. You need an STC-1000 temperature controller and plug it into that and use it to regulate the temperature.

Thanks Calum. Would you need to plug anything into the heat side? If so what?

 

[graysalchemy]

You can use a small tube heater in the fridge/freezer which is plugged into the heating side of the STC. :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

You can use a small tube heater in the fridge/freezer which is plugged into the heating side of the STC. :thumb:

And of course it that point you have a fully controlled fermenting/conditioning environment... :whistle:

 

[Jbrew]

I too think information is king, Both simple and complete, bring it all on

I must admit i did have a good handle on what a FV is and the difference between primary and secondary but there isn't a great deal of consensus on the final part of brewing lager; namely:-
When finishing the diacetyl rest period and starting the lagering period what FV is best? a keg , bottle or secondary FV?
If you are using a secondary FV how long do you leave it before you bottle it?
When bottling and priming, do you let the fizz form at a low temperature or at warmer room temperature?

Sorry questions questions questions but the process from primary FV to bottle is still a little unclear

:drink:

 

[rpt]

When I brew lager it gets 6 days in primary and then as long as needed in secondary to finish fermentation. Then I lower the temperature for 2 weeks lagering (still in the same secondary vessel). The last time I did this I got it down to -1C although I am sure many people will say 2 weeks isn't long enough. I only have one brew fridge so I can't afford too much time when I need to be brewing the beers I drink most of i.e. ale. I then bottle, batch priming. The bottles go in the warm for 2 weeks and then into the garage until they are ready to drink. I am sure the lager will continue to condition until it gets drunk in the summer.

 

[Jimmy321]

Thanks Calum. Would you need to plug anything into the heat side? If so what?

I use my chest freezer for lagering and cold crashing and I do not have a heater. I put the temp probe in a bottle of water which keeps it stable.

Of course you can add a heater to make a controlled fermentation chamber but chest freezers tend to rust above freezing, I have mini dehumidifiers to help prevent or this.

 

[Adamjagger]

, I have mini dehumidifiers to help prevent or this.

How would you make one of those?

 

[Jimmy321]

How would you make one of those?

I bought them on ebay