lager carbonation

[Magnew]

I bottled my first lager two weeks ago. It's a schwarzbier using wyeast Munich Lager #2308. I added 3/4 cup corn sugar disolved in water in the bottling bucket. Added the sugar first, so the beer should have mixed it. It's been sitting the basement cold room where the ambient temp has been around 52*. I tried one tonight and it is hardly more carbonated than it was when I bottled it. I was going to leave it for a couple more weeks before really digging in and starting to drink, but I guess I expected it to be further along carbonation wise. How long should I expect a lager at 52* to take for carbonation?

[Fast_Eddy]

How long did you lager this beer before bottling? At what temp?

[Magnew]

It was in primary for four weeks and secondary for two. The liquid temp in the bucket of water that I keep next to the fermentor was pretty constant at 48*. I took a hydrometer reading when I racked to secondary and when I racked to the bottleing bucket. It held steady over the two weeks at .011. There was still very slight activity (bubbles on the surface) when I racked to the bottling bucket.

Mind you, this beer tastes good. It's just not as carbonated as I had expected. I had this problem with another beer and can't figure out why. I sanitize with no-rinse One-step. Bottles are done in the dishwasher.

[Fast_Eddy]

Yeah weird - not a very long time and not a very cold temp. Those are the culprits I would've suspected since both could allow/cause most of the yeast to floc out. I'd leave them alone for another week - maybe allow the bottles to come to 60F.

[Magnew]

I moved the two cases into the front of the basement where the temp is around 60*. After a week I'm finally seeing the yeast cake on the bottom of the bottle that I have been looking for. Tried one tonight. It is carbonating, but not yet carbonated. Much better than last week. I'll give it another 2-3 weeks and try again.

I just can't get used to the fact that everything is slower with a lager.

[Fast_Eddy]

The end result is worth it. Patience.......

[Sunriver]

Originally posted by Fast_Eddy
The end result is worth it. Patience.......


Fast_Eddy The beer jedi

[Magnew]

Just by way of an update. Tried one of the schwarzbier tonight. Fully carbed, great head, tastes great. Like alcoholic roasted molassas.