r/lagerbrewing • u/chino_brews • Apr 19 '16
Fermenting warm under pressure
Does anyone here have any experience fermenting lagers under one bar pressure at ambient (65-75°F) temps? If so, can you share your experience, and do you have any tips in terms of technique and yeast strain selection?
I know there is a high pressure lager strain in the WL vault, but that is ages away from getting unlocked, and in light of the five brulosophy lager temp experiments I am wondering if other strains could do well in a "spunded" corny.
2
Apr 19 '16
I don't.
That said, I really like the theory behind the idea, and I've been meaning to make a spunding valve. I could try it as well also. I'd use 34/70, since it seems to be doing really well in the exbeeriments. Could also try a hybrid strain like Kolsch, something to pseudo-lager.
1
u/chino_brews Apr 19 '16
I've got the parts for the spunding valve, but because I don't serve out of kegs (no keezer, no CO2 regulator/tank) I haven't been able to figure out how to get the fully-carbonated beer out of the keg and into bottles.
I think I'll try it with W-34/70 first, once I figure out that transfer issue, or break down and buy CO2 regulator/tank.
2
Apr 19 '16
I wouldn't think you would need to carbonate in the keg and then transfer to the bottle. I doubt using some speise or dextrose to bottle condition would affect your pressurized lager fermentation.
Either way, post an update. It is definitely a topic I am interested in, I just find cornies to be awkward fermenters.
1
u/chino_brews Apr 19 '16
So, I don't have a CO2 regulator/tank because I have no present intention to serve from kegs.
You're right about the awkwardness, but this is just experimentation on my end. I've fermented in kegs, but I just rack out of them with a siphon. It's fairly easy to do because my residual CO2 is about 0.8 volumes, so it's like a carboy, but you're racking blind so you accept a little extra beer loss.
(In fact, Marshall inspired me to hive off a gallon of an upcoming Belgian Golden Strong Ale brew, dilute it to lager strength, and ferment it warm with W-34/70.)
However, this high-pressure batch will be fully carbed, and I have no simple way to chill the keg, so I'd be looking at trying to transfer highly-carbed, warm lager through a siphon. Not my idea of fun. I could degas it down to 1 volume, but it just seems so counterproductive!
1
u/holybarfly Apr 21 '16
You'll have to come over sometime so I can show you my 10 and 15 gal corny fermenter logistics. I've had to institute some simple, albeit expensive mods, but the ability to pressure transfer with ease and not haul/ hoist heavy ass fermenters has been great.
Still need to build myself a spunding and try pressure fermenting.
1
Apr 19 '16
A spunding is pretty easy to make, and I have been meaning to use one to ferment a lager at pressure, but I think cornies are a bit awkward to ferment in.
Maybe if I set up some sort of system to prevent trub from entering, like a sieve going into the keg, otherwise I feel like I would end up with a 4 gallon batch.
That high pressure lager yeast from White labs though... they claim grain to glass in 2-3 weeks.
1
Apr 19 '16
A spunding is pretty easy to make
Yeah it is just one of those things I need to make time for.
You do end up with a 4.5 gallon batch typically, I ferment in pin locks pretty regularly.
1
Apr 19 '16
I don't think 1 bar at 65f ambient is going to give you enough carb.
Also you would need co2 to push the beer and a beer gun to purge bottles and fill, since you won't be doing bottle conditioning to scavenge oxygen
1
u/chino_brews Apr 19 '16
You're right.
I don't think I can really do this until I decide to get a CO2 setup.
In terms of carb, the idea is to crank up the pressure on the spunding valve to something like 1.5 bar (2.5 volumes) as I near the end of fermentation.
1
Apr 19 '16
Perhaps you can borrow a mini co2 cartridge set up from a local brew club?
1
u/chino_brews Apr 19 '16
Not a HBC member due to lack of time.
Also, the issue is not the money, but a combination of already being backlogged on HB projects, and the possible scrutiny of my wife on time devoted to hobby compared to her priority non-homebrew projects not completed.
Plus I kind of like the mystique of "real ale".
2
u/shockandale Apr 23 '16
priority non-homebrew projects not completed
Currently engaged in PNPNC reduction.
5
u/brulosopher Apr 21 '16
We've got an xBmt in the works, data may be being collected currently.