Lagering

[PerthRod]

Hi all,
I currently have an AG Marzen/Oktoberfest in the FV.
My question is......does it need to be lagered before it goes in bottles/keg or can it be primed/bottled/kegged and THEN lagered ?
I have the luxury of a beer fridge - so either way it would be stored at around 3 or 4 degrees.

Rod

 

[Spapro]

I'm lagering my first lager currently, a Czech Pilsner. Had the same internal turmoil, referred to my John Palmer bible he recommends transferring to a secondary FV after primary fermentation has ended properly (2 weeks ish) to get the brew off the trub in the primary FV. Then lagering for 3-6 weeks (3 weeks at 7°C, 4 weeks at 6°C etc). Then priming/bottling.

I think bottling and then lagering runs the risk of not letting the sulphur smells etc get away from the brew, lockling the bad stuff in the bottle effectively. Hoping someone with more lagering experience can come along and advise ?

 

[strange-steve]

It's generally best to lager before bottling, after a brief diacetyl rest. As spapro says, if there are sulphurous aromas when bottled it can take a very long time for those to disappear, but it'll happen much quicker in the secondary.

 

[Tanzanite]

Rod i have just a few hours ago took an Oktoberfest off the yeast into a secondary, I will now leave it in my cold garage for 6 weeks, then prime and bottle .then continue bottle conditioning.A Lager is a german store room. largering means storing in the cold . It is generally done before bottling but we are not professionals, so i lager as above and theres still live yeast in the beer to carbonate, after two months its possible there wont be enough to carbonate.

 

[marlon]

+1. What everybody else has said. My first lager ever has been 'lagering' in a secondary FV, at 1-2 degC for about 7 weeks, just thinking about bottling/kegging it. It's already clear, clean tasting, and very drinkable, but I'm hoping to save it for the summer........yeah.......I know.......some hopes! :

 

[Tanzanite]

+1. What everybody else has said. My first lager ever has been 'lagering' in a secondary FV, at 1-2 degC for about 7 weeks, just thinking about bottling/kegging it. It's already clear, clean tasting, and very drinkable, but I'm hoping to save it for the summer........yeah.......I know.......some hopes! :

Marlon bottle it , it will bottle condition and be a cracking drink for summer.

 

[marlon]

Marlon bottle it , it will bottle condition and be a cracking drink for summer.

Yes T, that's the plan, but me & plans, don't always see eye-to-eye. I'm drinking some malty ale at present and hoping I brewed enough of that to last me til summer, but summer's a long way off just now :thumb:

 

[PerthRod]

Thanks for the replies................I think I'm going to lager it for a couple of months then force carbonate (don't really want to have to use another yeast - especially if it's nice and clear after lagering)

 

[Tanzanite]

Rod i have just a few hours ago took an Oktoberfest off the yeast into a secondary, I will now leave it in my cold garage for 6 weeks, then prime and bottle .then continue bottle conditioning.A Lager is a german store room. largering means storing in the cold . It is generally done before bottling but we are not professionals, so i lager as above and theres still live yeast in the beer to carbonate, after two months its possible there wont be enough to carbonate.

Just drunk my sample bottle of Oktoberfest, chilled in the fridge over night, its superb, smooth , great lasting white head, full bodied , moorish malt and flavour coming through, took four swallows to drink a 500ml its that good. it will be the dogs bollocks come summer, going to do another ASAP hope i have time to lagar it before it gets to warm , or will have to fridge lagar it. Either way i am on it, has this wont last till summer.:thumb:

 

[Spapro]

Just drunk my sample bottle of Oktoberfest, chilled in the fridge over night, its superb, smooth , great lasting white head, full bodied , moorish malt and flavour coming through, took four swallows to drink a 500ml its that good. it will be the dogs bollocks come summer, going to do another ASAP hope i have time to lagar it before it gets to warm , or will have to fridge lagar it. Either way i am on it, has this wont last till summer.:thumb:

Sound great, would you mind posting your recipe buddy ?

 

[Tanzanite]

Sound great, would you mind posting your recipe buddy ?

its the brew barrel Oktoberfest kit from brewbitz, with a 30g Hallertau dry hop really is a good lager.:thumb:.

 

[Tanzanite]

its the brew barrel Oktoberfest kit from brewbitz, with a 30g Hallertau dry hop really is a good lager.:thumb:.

Just brewed a 30ltr Marzen today 3.6kg amber malt, 1.5kg light spray malt and 300g Treacle using a Kolsch 2565 yeast, Aiming for a nice smooth malty lager, strength at 5.50 abv . will adjust the hops with some Marzen Oktoberfest liquid hop oil when its finished fermenting and going into secondary for lagering.:thumb: