Lager tips please anyone...

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Trigger

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From the North. Of Essex.
I'm going to try a couple of lager brews for the first time this winter: a Dunkel and a Czech Pilsner. I wonder if anyone can help with a couple of questions...

Is it advisable to do a yeast starter and if so is it the same procedure as for an ale yeast starter?

How long does the yeast take to get going? Does it form a Krausen like an ale?

Any other top tips for lager gratefully received!

Cheers :cheers:
 
Just wondering if you are planning to do all grain? If you are using a liquid yeast I have used these http://www.brewuk.co.uk/wyeast-activator-2278-czech-pils.html quite al lot (although not this strain) and I find there is no need to make a starter.

lager should be made with soft water (even possibly distilled/de-ionised water according to one book I have, this is supposed to stop off flavours) and fermented at around 9 or 10c. A good lager is difficult to make as the temperature has to be controlled at all stages of brewing and conditioning so as twostage mentioned, a brew fridge would be beneficial.

Cheers!
 
Hi guys

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I should have given some more info...

Yes, I'll be using an all-grain recipe. I've not thought about the water yet but Will investigate the options - including boiling the night before which I believe removes temporary hardness.

I'm planning to use a liquid yeast, e.g. Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian lager).

I don't have a brew fridge but I thought I'd make use of the cold winter that we're supposed to be having and do it in the garage/outside. I know this is a bit of a punt, but I fancy a bit of experimentation.

I've made many all grain ales and in general the results are very palatable. I just fancy dipping my toe into a lager now!

Thanks in advance of your help!
 
Hi guys

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I should have given some more info...

Yes, I'll be using an all-grain recipe. I've not thought about the water yet but Will investigate the options - including boiling the night before which I believe removes temporary hardness.

I'm planning to use a liquid yeast, e.g. Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian lager).

I don't have a brew fridge but I thought I'd make use of the cold winter that we're supposed to be having and do it in the garage/outside. I know this is a bit of a punt, but I fancy a bit of experimentation.

I've made many all grain ales and in general the results are very palatable. I just fancy dipping my toe into a lager now!

Thanks in advance of your help!

Its better to brew lager when you can control the temperature but it's fun to experiment. Couldn't brew outside where I am at the moment as it's about 1C.

Just been on the wyeast website and it says 8-14 degrees C for fermentation and then a thorough diacetyl rest. So I'd say ferment in the garage and then bring indoors for about a week for the diacetyl rest.
 
I've got my first lager in now, and I had intended to try exactly what you are suggesting here, just use the cold temps outside. The greatest shame is that throughout most of November the temps were hovering around 10 degrees, ideal for lager fermenting! And now it's getting colder, would be ideal for conditioning.

They used to brew it in caves, so what you're suggesting is absolutely viable!

From what I've read It's the higher temps that you need to avoid most, if the temp gets too low all it'll do is slow things down a bit unless they drop too low for too long and the yeast starts to go dormant.

23 litres of liquid takes a long time to change temperature so you could just bring it into the house overnight if it drops too low or if we get some stupidly cold weather..

All i'll say is, I avoided this approach in the end, simply because old fridges can be obtained for either free or nearly free, and these days temperature controllers are unbelievably cheap.. I built one for less than �£15 and use it to control a half size larder fridge in my kitchen. It's a pass through afair, plug it into the wall then plug the fridge into it, this means no modifications to the fridge, just a temp sensor taped to the fermenter.
 
Thanks for the tips, guys, that's really helpful.
Garage, then outdoors could do the trick. I'm looking to get going about the 1st Jan.

@Birkin - do you have any details of that temp controller, a circuit diagram or anything? Cheers!
 
Temp controller sounds like an STC-1000 plus some bits and bobs... lots of wiring diagrams and YouTube videos on these controllers online. Have 3 myself :smile:
 
Thanks for the tips, guys, that's really helpful.
Garage, then outdoors could do the trick. I'm looking to get going about the 1st Jan.

@Birkin - do you have any details of that temp controller, a circuit diagram or anything? Cheers!

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=311284638826&category=42899&pm=1&ds=0&t=1449017321811

It's easy enough to wire up, there's a switch to pass the live through and live and neutral in, so power from the main goes to power in, the live bridges across to one side of the switch, the other side of the switch goes to the live for the fridge. Neutral for the fridge is just bridged from the neutral in. I can add some pics if it helps!

The stc1000 has the added benefit if being able to wire a heater in at the same time for total control!
 
There are a few threads on how to wire these in the how to forum, also look at the brew fridge threads.
 
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