Beer Forum

I have an oktoberfest that was fermented with 2206 Bavarian lager at 50 degrees for 6 weeks. Gravity has dropped from 1.056 to 1.016. I tasted it and it had a strong flavor of a mouthful of skittles. I pitched at about 60 degrees, but cooled rapidly to 50 in a matter of hours (freezer with temp control on the side of the fermenter). What gives? Is this just an intermediate phase for the yeast, or did I somehow get a bunch of fruity esters in the beer that won't go away?

I made a starter and fermentation started within 22-30 hours after pitching. If anything, I under pitched, although I followed proper starter suggestions (1 liter, then 4 liter).

Doug

That baby needs to lager cold for a couple months, the longer the better.

Then, it is just an unfinished beer, and part of the process? I have never brewed a lager before, so I am not familiar. I have not yet put it in the fridge, in case I needed to let it go longer at 50 degrees (or even raise the temp for a few days).

Is this the concensus, pop it in the fridge and let it lager?

Thanks,
Doug

I would raise it a few degrees for a day or two, cold crash it, keg or bottle it (if bottling, leave at room temp for a couple weeks to carb, if kegging, wait to carb until after lagering), then let it lager cold for a couple months. Transfer to a new keg, carb, and drink.

Ok. Thanks for the replies. I will see how it turns out in a few months.

Doug

Sounds better than my last/first Oktoberfest which ended up like a Belgian Oktoberfest. Except not at all good.

After 7 weeks lagering at 38 degrees, the fruitiness is pretty much gone. I tasted it last night and could taste the "skittles" up front on the first sip, but after that, it was not really detectable. Maybe another month would serve this beer well. Anybody else had a similar flavor issue with their lager? It has to be the yeast, 2206 Bavarian lager, but I suppose it could be from the pilsner malt. This is my first run with both ingredients.

Doug

Crackin wrote:After 7 weeks lagering at 38 degrees, the fruitiness is pretty much gone.

Crackin wrote:Fruity beers are for fruity people.

Phew, close call...