Pilsner fermentation temperature

[Jordan West]

Hey,

Just fermenting a beer works kit. It's the bohemian blonde pilsner from lovebrewing...

As its a lager would you not expect to have to ferment it at low temperature? The kit says keep it at 20 to 25 degrees C...

I'm just a bit worried as there is an eggy smell Coming from the airlock when it bubbles... Read about it being quite normal for lager yeast to smell that way but not sure whether to put it outside to ferment... Temp is around 1-6 C at the moment out there...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If the instructions advise fermenting at 20 to 25 degrees C that is what you should aim for eggy smells can indicate a stressed yeast and temperature could be the cause. ( you haven't said what the temperature is where its brewing)

 

[Jordan West]

Temperature is currently 15 C.

I just don't trust their instructions because they are the same as the IPA I did.. I would have thought temperature would need to be lower for a lager

 

[terrym]

Some lager kits come with an ale yeast. Since the instructions tell you to ferment at 20-25*C this might be one of them. However since it has an eggy smell it might be a lager yeast as that is sometimes is a characteristic of a lager yeast as you say. You could lower the temperature to around 12-14*C and see what happens, lower may be a stretch too far. You might be OK, you might not. So if you lower the temperature slowly and it gives up just bring it back into the warm and it should get going again. But you might not lose the eggy smell.

 

[Jordan West]

Yea, I'm sure it said premium lager yeast...

 

[terrym]

Yea, I'm sure it said premium lager yeast...

If that the case you should be able to ferment at lower temperatures. However if you didn't have enough yeast to start with it might not manage it, which may be the reason the instructions say ferment at 20-25*C. You will only find out if you try it.

 

[Jordan West]

I don't have a facility other than outside to control temperature yet really...do you think uk outdoor weather is too cold at the moment, here it's between 2 and 6 degrees

 

[BeerCat]

Most likely is you have a California lager yeast which are fermented at ale temps.
If you put it outside at 6c it wont ferment. :) You would need a lot of packs of yeast to even ferment at 8c.
Follow the instructions and keep it as stable as possible. The eggy smell is normal for some lager yeasts. It goes, don't worry.

 

[Jordan West]

Thanks.. this morning it was bubbling really nicely like 1 a second so I assume the temp must be OK... The eggy smell has somewhat reduced this evening ..

 

[GerritT]

Sulfur. It will disappear. I did a lager once, fermented outside (15º ambient) for 3 days (most important days), then back inside again to 20º-ish. It went to 6.5% ABV instead of 5, a bit dryish, but very drinkable, not that sweet lager brrrr taste. Probably mashed too low too.
Now I'm thirsty.

 

[terrym]

Sounds like you just need to leave it to do its own thing. If you keep it at lowish temperature for the bulk of the primary you may need a diacetyl rest at the end (a day or two at room temperature).

 

[GerritT]

Yeah I forgot about the diacetyl. You want half a week on room temperature.

 

[Jordan West]

Yea, I was hoping to get it done for new years eve party... Only my second ever brew and didn't know lager took so long .. I'll have to just save some of the IPA and not neck it all Christmas day