Don’t Fear the Cold!

By award winning lager brewer and nationally ranked BJCP judge Howard Clearfield.

The keys are the 3 C’s (not Columbus, Centennial and Chinook hops, but they can be used)

1. Clean—no yeast-derived fruity esters, no diacetyl
2. Crisp—fully attenuated (i.e., FG < 1.012 for most styles)
3. Clear—cold storage to settle out yeast and hop phenols

It’s easier than you think!

The following tips & strategies will help your lager brewing.

1. Clean

• Use a very large Yeast Starter (1.75 Million Cells/ml-Plato for OG < 1.060, otherwise 2 Million/ml-Plato)
• Good rule of thumb is to double your typical Ale starter size for the same OG
• Always aerate/oxygenate the wort thoroughly before pitching
• Pitch cold (43-45 if possible) and allow to free rise to 50 degF
• Maintain T < 54 deg for 10-14 days; sulfur aroma will eventually disappear
• Add yeast nutrient in the starter (and wort) to promote vigorous fermentation
• Diacetyl Rest @62-65 for 2-3 days (can go to upper 60’s); can rack before or after
• Avoid all oxygen exposure after primary fermentation is complete
• Don’t overuse brewing salts—ensure adequate calcium, then tread lightly

2. Crisp

• Use highly attenuating lager yeast strain (e.g., WLP940 Mexican Lager, 78%, bullet-proof)
• Target minimum 75% attenuation for OG < 1.060 Target 72-75% for Bock or Imperial Lager, OG > 1.064
• Final gravity 1.008 – 1.012 for standard lager (1.004-6 for Lite Lager)
• For Imperial or Bock, FG 1.016 – 1.020.
• Czech lagers are less attenuated, finishing 1.016

3. Clear

• Lager yeasts do not flocculate well, so that needs to be accommodated
• Proteins/phenols that cause chill haze should be removed (see Wort Processing Suggestions, below)
• Traditionally, clarity is achieved by cold storage (lagering)
• Rack to secondary fermenter/keg after completion of diacetyl rest
• Crash to 34-38 degF, hold for 3 weeks minimum, longer for a more refined taste
• Chill haze may take 4-6 weeks to remove (see Wort Processing Suggestions, below)
• Use your kegerator as a lager chest, or bottle and lager in your fridge
• Fining (e.g., gelatin) will help speed the process, but has other negative effects

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Check out the following suggestions for even better results.

Wort Processing Suggestions

• Use a protein rest (132 degF, 20 minutes max) to reduce high molecular weight proteins
• Vorlauf well to provide clear wort transfer to boil kettle (consider using RIMS)
• Consider using decoction to reduce protein transfer to boil kettle
• Chill quickly—a good cold break will sink to the bottom of the kettle
• Rest the chilled wort to minimize or eliminate trub transfer to the fermenter
• Low-protein adjuncts such as corn or rice help with clarity

Hopping and Spicing

• Cold storage will reduce apparent bitterness significantly
• Plan at least 50% higher IBU than desired in the finished beer (60-65 IBU for target 40)
• Dry hop during diacetyl rest—can extend to 5 days without problems
• Herb/Spice addition similar to dry hopping

Fast/Faux Lager

• Use a highly attenuating ale yeast strain that flocculates well (e.g., WLP007)
• Make a very large yeast starter (>1.25 Millon cells/ml-P)
• Ferment 3-5 degrees below normal range to suppress ester formation
• Crash chill and hold (use finings when kegging, with the regular caveats)

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The following suggestions are for individual lager styles.

• American Lager
  – Use corn or rice at 20-25%,
  – avoid flaked barley, wheat and oats
• Pilsner
  – Use Bohemian Pilsner malt
  – definitely incorporate protein rest for clarity
• IPL (India Pale Lager)
  User your favorite IPA recipe but fermented like lager
  (remember to add extra hops)
• Baltic Porter
  Use your favorite European Porter recipe, fermented with lager yeast.
• Baltimore Porter
  Use your favorite American Porter recipe, fermented with lager yeast.
• Biere de Garde
  Use a highly attenuative Belgian ale yeast.
  You could brew a Saison the same way to finish dry.
• Rauchbier
  Brewing any light body beer with smoked malt will be fine.
  It doesn’t have to be German malt.
• Kellerbier
  – This is any very young lager.
  – It should be slightly cloudy, hoppy.
  – Best to keg or serve within 10 days of crashing.
• Altbier and Kolsch
  – Ferment at 59-64 deg F
  – Cold store for 3-6 weeks.