I need to learn about lagers
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    Now that I have temp control I wan to start brewing some lagers. Any suggested readings, advice, recipes would be helpful.

    I know I want to do an Oktoberfest but I think those are traditionally brewed a little later in the year (May?)
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,657 Accepted Answer
    jlw said:

    Now that I have temp control I wan to start brewing some lagers. Any suggested readings, advice, recipes would be helpful.

    I know I want to do an Oktoberfest but I think those are traditionally brewed a little later in the year (May?)



    oktoberfest is traditionally brewed in march, hence the name marzen. I brew em whenever I feel like it, though. If you ferment clean with a nice healthy pitch of yeast, you can have them delicious after just a few weeks of lagering.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,657
    The biggest advice you can get for brewing lagers (other than keep the temp in the yeast's happy range) is pitch way more than you would for an ale. http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

    After that, you'll need patience. Sometimes lager yeast needs a long time to clean up. I've had a helles that tasted sulfurous and nasty out of the primary, but after a month of lagering, it was delicious.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    Cool. I need to read up on German beers again. There are a lot of beers I have like just not attempted to brew becuase I didn;t have a way to lager.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,657
    and here's what you'll need to know about diacetyl:

    http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/Diacetyl_Time_Line.pdf
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,657 Accepted Answer
    jlw said:

    Cool. I need to read up on German beers again. There are a lot of beers I have like just not attempted to brew becuase I didn;t have a way to lager.



    i've fermented using the cool temps in my garage in the fall/spring and i've done the same beers in my ferm chamber. there's a big difference in the time it takes for them to clean up and become drinkable.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
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