Confirmation of JZ's Lagering Technique Please

[Bprind01]

So he just sets it at 48-50 and allows it to ferment for a few weeks and then keeps it on the yeast cake at the same temp to lager for another month? No transfers? No lowering of temp to lager? Thanks.

[Mills]

He will pitch at 44-45 and allow it to ramp up on its own up to 48-50. Then set it and forget it. I think he will go 3-4 weeks, then transfer to keg, chill and lager, even though he says you can drink it at that point, but it will improve.

That is the best I can remember off the top of my head.

Mills

[argon5000]

He will pitch at 44-45 and allow it to ramp up on its own up to 48-50. Then set it and forget it. I think he will go 3-4 weeks, then transfer to keg, chill and lager, even though he says you can drink it at that point, but it will improve.

That is the best I can remember off the top of my head.

Mills

I have my first lager on at the moment (Munich Helles)... fermenting at 48 and planning to leave it for a few weeks before transferring to keg. I always filter my ales but with a lager is it worth filtering before or after the 4 or so weeks of lagering? ie transfer to keg, lager 4 weeks then filter. My impression is that it will condition faster after filtering.

[edisonst]

filter after lagering. That way the yeast can slowly clean up in slow motion as the beer clears and protien and polyphenols precipitate out. If you filter before lagering the yeast can do no more.

[argon5000]

Cheers... that's what i'll be doing then

[Spurtrax]

Would it hurt anything to lager it on the yeast cake?

[Crackin]

I believe JZ's method is to pitch at 46 degrees, then let the beer ferment fully and clean up any byproducts at fermentation temperature (50F). At the point you are satified with fermentation being complete, cold crash it and put it in a keg (I usually let lagers go for 3 weeks at ferm temp. The yeast have done their work. If you are going to filter, cold crash it to drop the yeast, then filter, then keg. Of course, after it is in the keg, leaving it cold for another few weeks to a month is preferable to allow it to clear and smooth out.

Doug

[atomicpunk]

What about a D-rest?