Tasty's Lager Fermentation Schedule

[spangltk]

Is this documented anywhere? I just listened to a recent podcast where Tasty described the temp schedule for a quick lager. Since I was walking I couldn't doc it myself. I plan on attempting a lager in the near future and would like to experiment with it.

[TastyMcD]

I pitch and oxygenate at 55F and hold until the gravity drops 50% of the way to terminal gravity (For example, if my OG is 1.052 and I expect to finish at about 1.010, then a drop of .021 gravity points would be 50%.)

I then raise the fermentation temperature by 3 degrees to 58F and hold until the gravity drops 75% of the way to terminal gravity.

I then raise the fermentation temperature by 4 degrees to 62F and hold until the gravity drops 90% of the way to terminal gravity.

I then raise the fermentation temperature by 4 degrees to 66F and hold until I reach terminal gravity.

With this method, 75% of the fermentation takes place at 58F or below, 90% at 62F or below.

Tasty

[EllisTX]

I just recently did this with a Rye Pilsner. I used 3470 dry yeast to avoid having to make a large starter. I actually started around 52 but still had fermentation below the temps for the % of attenuation as Tasty did. While the beer could certainly improve, most if not all the deficiencies come from recipe/mash issues. I'll mash a bit higher and lower my bittering a touch next time. I went from 1.055 to 1.008 and had the beer kegged within 14 days. Gelatin had the beer clear(not brilliantly though) 2 days after kegging.

Great technique Tasty and I hope someone can find the name of the brewery that tipped you off to it initially. For someone like me who has only one temp controlled fermenter, this is full of win.

Question- Have you repitched lager yeast after doing this? If not, any reason you would/wouldn't?

[brewinhard]

I perform this method often with my lagers and have had great results. Nice clean fermentation profiles. I do tend to pitch a bit cooler (around 50F) and most defnitely perform a proper diacetyl rest when the krausen is falling back into the beer.

No reason at all that you could not repitch the lager yeast after this technique. I have done so many times with no ill effect. In fact, the yeasties seem to acclimate a bit better in successive pitchings and ferment the wort even faster. Just my observations of course. I am also "cheering" them on, on the sidelines....

[cad]

I'm doing something similar to this with a Czech style pilsner. This is the first lager I've ever brewed and I've been brewing for 12 years. The Doc / Tasty lager experiment segment was awesome and really inspired me to try brewing one of my favorite styles. I was too impatient in the past and hated the thought of waiting 6-8 weeks for a beer.

I started last Friday, 7/12/13 @ 50 F

2 days later when fermentation was going pretty strong I bumped it up to 52 F

2 days later I bumped it to 54 F

3 days later I bumped it to 56 F

And today I dry hopped it and increased to 58 F. The beer looks like it's almost done fermenting as everything is dropping out. I'm going to let it sit at 58 for a few more days and keep bumping the temp up a few degrees until I get to 62-64 F.

Hoping it turns out well and I think it will. What's coming out of the fermenter smells really good.

[brewinhard]

I wouldn't be adverse to even letting your final temps get into the mid to upper 60's (think 68F) to really perform a good diacetyl rest. Some lager strains will really benefit from this. Hold it at these temps for around 3 days to allow the yeast to clean up after themselves. It will really help to improve your finished product.

[neckbeardbeer]

I'm doing something similar to this with a Czech style pilsner. This is the first lager I've ever brewed and I've been brewing for 12 years. The Doc / Tasty lager experiment segment was awesome and really inspired me to try brewing one of my favorite styles. I was too impatient in the past and hated the thought of waiting 6-8 weeks for a beer.

I started last Friday, 7/12/13 @ 50 F

2 days later when fermentation was going pretty strong I bumped it up to 52 F

2 days later I bumped it to 54 F

3 days later I bumped it to 56 F

And today I dry hopped it and increased to 58 F. The beer looks like it's almost done fermenting as everything is dropping out. I'm going to let it sit at 58 for a few more days and keep bumping the temp up a few degrees until I get to 62-64 F.

Hoping it turns out well and I think it will. What's coming out of the fermenter smells really good.

How long you letting that hang out afterwards before serving?

[EllisTX]

I'm doing something similar to this with a Czech style pilsner. This is the first lager I've ever brewed and I've been brewing for 12 years. The Doc / Tasty lager experiment segment was awesome and really inspired me to try brewing one of my favorite styles. I was too impatient in the past and hated the thought of waiting 6-8 weeks for a beer.

I started last Friday, 7/12/13 @ 50 F

2 days later when fermentation was going pretty strong I bumped it up to 52 F

2 days later I bumped it to 54 F

3 days later I bumped it to 56 F

And today I dry hopped it and increased to 58 F. The beer looks like it's almost done fermenting as everything is dropping out. I'm going to let it sit at 58 for a few more days and keep bumping the temp up a few degrees until I get to 62-64 F.

Hoping it turns out well and I think it will. What's coming out of the fermenter smells really good.

How long you letting that hang out afterwards before serving?

I can't speak for cad, but the lager I did hasn't really improved much since when it was first kegged. The great benefit of this method is that the beer is ready when you pull it out of primary. Not need to hang out before serving. Taking into account that you will use finings or filter since yeast in suspension will make a considerable difference.