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Ragnar

Ragnar

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Hi guys,

A quick question so I'm currently brewing a lager with Saflager S-23 yeast. And online the usually say to leave it for 3 weeks easy, to finish fermenting. But the thing is, mine's been in the bucket for a little over a week and it's already stopped bubbling. It was bubbling like crazy last week but by now I don't hear much activity.

Question is, if the bubbling is a sign to go by (which I assume it is), should I consider the fermentation done?

But I still want to dry-hop it before I lager it. Will the beer be fine if it's just sitting on top of the yeast even if it doesn't really bubble anymore? Or is that bad? Is it going to take on some nasty yeasty flavours?

Any helpful insight would be so much appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Bubbling is not a sign of fermentation. Take a sample and test the gravity. Once the gravity is stable for two or three days that's when fermentation is over.

There won't be any problem with leaving it on the yeast. I'd dry hop with pellets and then after a few days rack it to a clean vessel for lagering.
 
Go the 3 weeks, once the yeast is done converting sugar they will look for other compounds and off flavors to eat and convert.
 
Thanks so much guys, that's exactly what I wanted to hear! So the beer sitting on the yeast for a bit longer is actually a good thing! I've had some brews I've just flushed down cause they tasted off but I should've just kept them for a bit longer on the yeast. So 3 weeks it is.

Next week, 5 days before the 3 week mark, I'll drop the hops in and then a couple of days before I do the diacetyl rest by raising the temperature by a fef degrees every day. And then put it to lager at 4° for a month.

Hopefully that works out fine!

Thanks so much again guys! You're the best!
 
Just as a quick update - the beer's been sitting in the FV for 3 weeks now, the last of which it has been sitting with 40g Spalt Select hops. It does give quite a nice aroma but I think I might do another week of dry-hopping once I transfer it to a new vessel for lagering.

And the taste - boy oh boy does it taste good (already!!!). By far the best beer I've made, so incredibly happy and proud, haha! The gravity has gone down from 1.066 to 1.014 - gonna do another reading tomorrow, but I think it's done fermenting now. It's a bit stronger than I aimed - 6.83% ABV but oh well. Instead of a lager, I got more of a bock style.
 

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