Lager

[far9410]

Now the cooler temperatures are here, I'm going to make some lager. About1048, using flaked maize and mittelfruh hops to about 30 ibu. Now I like a fairly dry lager, so would mash at around 65c? Then pitch 2 sachets of s23, I reckon at about 16c, then gradually reduce temp, to what? Any advice welcome

[Rick_UK]

12-13'C is typical fermentation temp for S23. Pitching a few degrees warmer is definitely a good idea to avoid a potentially long lag. 1 packet has always been fine in my experience for a 5G batch. Making a starter a few days before would be a good plan though.

Rick

[Charles1968]

I'd recommend making a very big starter (several litres) a few days in advance. Off flavours are produced when the yeast cells are multiplying, so it's best to let that happen in the starter rather than your beer. Let it ferment out, discard the liquid and pitch the slurry. This way you can pitch at 12 Celsius with no lag and get a very clean ferment.

Try to control your mash pH - you'll get a clearer beer. If you have hard water, either treat it or use bottled ashbeck or Eden falls for at least 50% of the liquor. If you use 100% mineral water, add 1 tsp gypsum while it's starting to warm up. Normal mash temp is OK but 65 will be a touch drier. Lager yeast ferments drier than ale yeast as it can metabolise more sugars, but you need to be patient - takes at least 8 weeks in the bottle to dry out properly. S23 gets mixed reviews, though I haven't tried it. W 34/70 might be better if you want a dry yeast.

My ferments take 2-3 weeks with the temp rising at the end for diacetyl rest. Don't crash cool and rack off the yeast early or you'll end up with diacetyl flavoured lager.

It's actually not much harder than brewing ale, you just need patience as everything takes a bit longer at lower temps. Worth the wait though.

[far9410]

Thanks guys great advice!

[Aleman]

With dry yeast 25L is a starter!!!

There is no point in making a starter, the amount of growth you would get over the initial viable cell count is pretty minimal, and you use up all the reserves that the manufacturer has built into the cell before drying, although if you are pitching cold then more than one sachet is a very good idea, 2 or even 3 sachets. Fermentis recommend something like 120g per hectalitre at temps down to 12C and 300g per hectalitre between 9 and 12C So between 30 and 75g for a 5 gallon (25L) batch.

[Charles1968]

With dry yeast 25L is a starterFermentis recommend something like 120g per hectalitre at temps down to 12C and 300g per hectalitre between 9 and 12C So between 30 and 75g for a 5 gallon (25L) batch.

So 3-7 packs of yeast, but that's quite expensive, especially if you use w34/70 at £5 a pack. S23 is cheaper and I think two packs is probably fine if you pitch at a slightly higher temp (14-15C) and let it fall to 12 over the first day or two. But if you want to pitch at 12 or even 10 for an ultra clean ferment, I would make a starter from one pack and save a bit of money.

Also, at the end of fermentation, I save the yeast slurry in a sterilized jam jar and bung in in the fridge for the next batch. It lasts a few weeks and you can pitch it directly.

[T1mjv]

Make a 20 ltr hoppy apa/cream ale /steam beer at 20 degrees with your 1 packet of yeast then pitch the slurry in your lager at 12 degrees.
As Aleman said 25lts is a starter with dried yeast! its just one that you can drink.