10 replies to this topic

[stellarbrew]

The German Pilsner I brewed three weeks ago is lagering happily in my lagering fridge at 35 F, and I would hate to disturb it. However, several of my tapped kegs are getting dangerously low, and I would really like to brew an American Amber today so I it will be ready to go when a keg blows. What I am wondering is: Will it hurt the Pilsner if I raised the lagering fridge temp to around 65 F for a couple of weeks to ferment that Amber? I would lower the temp back down after the Amber finishes primary and resume lagering. I just have no other place to ferment the Amber where I can control the temperatures.Please help me out with some advice. What would you do? Thanks

[ncbeerbrewer]

While I am never much of a fan of going up in temperature I believe that you should be alright. One question I have is how long has it been lagering? I would assume maybe a week since I will figure it may have taken 14 days to ferment? I think though that if it has not been lagering for too long then go ahead with your idea. Then as you said when the Amber is done you can bring it back to lager temp and let it go. I would not say its an advisable practice but I think you could get away with it and be fine. I am figuring too that you transferred to secondary so the amount of yeast would be minimal and I don't think there would be as much effect on taste. I say go for it to be honest. Sometimes as homebrewers we dont handle beer perfect but there are things you can get away with too.

[tag]

The German Pilsner I brewed three weeks ago is lagering happily in my lagering fridge at 35 F, and I would hate to disturb it. What I am wondering is: Will it hurt the Pilsner if I raised the lagering fridge temp to around 65 F for a couple of weeks to ferment that Amber? I would lower the temp back down after the Amber finishes primary and resume lagering. I just have no other place to ferment the Amber where I can control the temperatures.Please help me out with some advice. What would you do? Thanks

How are you using the term "lagering"? Lagering is the cold aging stage after lager fermentation is done. So if it is done fermenting, you can do what you want, but it would be better to keep it cool. If it is still in primary fermantation, it might be time for a "diacetyl rest" which is a good time to raise the temperature to the 60's F for a few days before transferring into the secondary/lagering vessel.

[stellarbrew]

I did a diacetyl rest for a couple days at just shy of two weeks, when fermentation was winding down. Then, with terminal gravity steady, I dropped the temperature to 35 F to start lagering about a week ago (with the beer still in the primary fermenter). Three days ago, the temperature of the beer had settled out at the lagering temp, and I transferred it to secondary. At this point, the beer tastes very good, with no hint of diacetyl. There is still a bit of yeast in supension, and it has been gradually falling clear since I tranferred to secondary three days ago.So it is still in the very early stage of lagering (cold conditioning). I don't want to do anything to keep the beer from continuing to clear. If I raised the temp up to 65 F at this point, my main concern would be that the yeast might stop falling out. I'm on the verge of going ahead and starting to brew that Amber, but I'm still slightly hesitant.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Why don't you leave it to lager and use a swamp cooler for the Amber (its an ale right?).

[stellarbrew]

Oh, man, I went pull a beer from keg fridge and the answer jumped out at me. I moved my four kegs tight together, and found I had space in there for the carboy holding my pilsner. As it turns out, serving temperature is also a good lagering temperature. That frees up my lagering fridge for my amber! Time to heat the strike water.Thanks for the reponses.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I did a diacetyl rest for a couple days at just shy of two weeks, when fermentation was winding down. Then, with terminal gravity steady, I dropped the temperature to 35 F to start lagering about a week ago (with the beer still in the primary fermenter). Three days ago, the temperature of the beer had settled out at the lagering temp, and I transferred it to secondary. At this point, the beer tastes very good, with no hint of diacetyl. There is still a bit of yeast in supension, and it has been gradually falling clear since I tranferred to secondary three days ago.So it is still in the very early stage of lagering (cold conditioning). I don't want to do anything to keep the beer from continuing to clear. If I raised the temp up to 65 F at this point, my main concern would be that the yeast might stop falling out. I'm on the verge of going ahead and starting to brew that Amber, but I'm still slightly hesitant.

You will be fine. You have not lagered it for that long and its off the yeast cake already too. You said you are worried about it clearing? Well it will still clear at a higher temp just not as fast. You are going to bring it back down to lager temp and lager it for awhile though after the amber ferments. That will continue the clearing. I don't think you will have anything to worry about. I would wanna control the temp of the Amber since I think that is key to brewing good beer. Dont hesitate brew it up, you will be fine!!EDIT: Case closed. Good deal, I wish you well on your Amber today too!!

[tag]

Oh, man, I went pull a beer from keg fridge and the answer jumped out at me. I moved my four kegs tight together, and found I had space in there for the carboy holding my pilsner. As it turns out, serving temperature is also a good lagering temperature. That frees up my lagering fridge for my amber! Time to heat the strike water.

Brilliant!

[dondewey]

What temp is your keggerator at? Mine's set at 41, but I'm lagering at 33. Would it be ok? I'm in the same situation as you...

[stellarbrew]

What temp is your keggerator at? Mine's set at 41, but I'm lagering at 33. Would it be ok? I'm in the same situation as you...

My keggerator is set at about 39 F. Its a little bit warmer than I was lagering, but still a respectable lagering temperature I think. Definitely better than bringing it up to 65 F. I think even 41 is a fine lagering temperature.

[orudis]

Oh, man, I went pull a beer from keg fridge and the answer jumped out at me. I moved my four kegs tight together, and found I had space in there for the carboy holding my pilsner. As it turns out, serving temperature is also a good lagering temperature. That frees up my lagering fridge for my amber! Time to heat the strike water.Thanks for the reponses.

I was gonna say, why not just kill one of the low kegs and keg the pilsner. I often do that, two liter soda bottles and my homemade carb caps work well for emptying kegs.