Chris's first go at Lager yeast

[ChrisK]

Hi Guys

 

I've not been around for a little while. On the one hand, i've been mainly drinking and not brewing, and on the other hand, I've been trying fresh wurts and not cans of extract for a couple of brews.

 

I'm back now though, with my first go at a lager yeast.

 

 

My ingredients:

 

1x Can of Thomas Coopers Pilsener

500g LDM

300g Dextrose

40g Saaz hop pellets

1x Saflager W-34/70

 

Bloke at the brew shop tells me this'll take a good two weeks. I tend to brew my ales for a good 14-15 days anyway (actually I'm bottling my first stout today which has been in for 18 days with SF04).

He also told me I should ferment around the 11degree range.

 

NO problems there, ambient in my shed is around the 12 mark.

 

What I didn't ask about though, was pitching temp.

 

 

My plan is:

 

1) 3 litres of water + 500gLDM. Whisk + bring to boil until disolved.

2) Add dextrose.

3) add 20g Saaz hops pellets

*boil for 20 minutes*

4) Remove from boil and add remaining pellets

5) strain into fermenter, add can of Thomas Coopers Pilsener

6) Top up to 20L.

7) Add yeast

 

NOw the bit I'm not sure of is at what temperature to pitch. Should I pitch around the 20 mark as usual and let the fermenter cool down over the next 24 hours or should I look at pitching at a lower temp?

 

Thanks guys!

 

 

[Muddy Waters]

G'day Chris - There are people who pitch a lot of ueast at lager temps and those who pitch just one packet a higher temp and bring it down to lager temps over a couple of days.

 

I prefer to pitch around 20-22 and gradually bring it down over the next couple of days. It gives the yeast time to find a partner, set up their hammocks, and get comfy before getting down to a bit of hard work.

[ChrisK]

Hahaha okay thanks, Muddy :)

 

I've actually got two packets of the yeast. Any benefit to pitching both?

 

 

Edit: After reading this http://www.williamsbrewing.com/pdfs/y16.pdf

I'll go with your suggestion - pitch warm and leave it out in the cold overnight :)

[PB2]

Have run fermenting trials with W-34/70 - same recipe fermented at 10C, 13C and 15C. Blind tasters could pick a difference between the 13C and 15C brews but couldn't split the 10C and 13C brews.

 

This is the reason why I usually suggest fermenting at 13C - 15C.

[ChrisK]

And you guys agree with the disolving the LDM and the dextrose in the boil before the hops bit?

[PB2]

You can do it that way if you like - just means you'll have almost 4 litres of fluid to cool prior to topping up to 20litres, unless you plan to add fridge-cold water.