lagering in a lbk

[Gman20]

hey guys anyone ever lager in a lbk?

currently i have 2 lbks and a plastic 2 gallon fermenting bucket and want to do another lager

so can i use the lbks to lager by using 1 for secondary and the transfering to another lbk for secondary fermentation or should i use the plastic bucket for secondary


i guess i worried about air getting to it and getting some funky flavors by using plastic and not glass

[Beer-lord]

Last time I did was about 2 years ago. I lagered for 4 weeks at 50 degrees in a dorm fridge. I don't do many true lagers due to temperature control but that one was very, very good. No funky flavors and I didn't even use a secondary.

[Gman20]

did u bottle after the 4 weeks? or keg? and how much longer did u wait before trying one?

[The_Professor]

Yes, I have used a Mr. Beer keg to lager a lager in my fridge.

I had mixed results and I decided a 2 week lager was best as longer lagers usually resulted in off flavors.

My guess is that this was due to the holes in the top not being as good as an air lock for lagering, although it is fine for primary fermentation.

I usually dropped the temps over a few days to 35-40 and then just stuck the keg in my fridge.

[Beer-lord]

I bottled then waited 8 weeks to drink. It didn't need any more time after that.

[Crazy Climber]

I am lagering a 5-gallon batch in two LBK's right now.

The only fermenting/lagering vessels I own are 4 LBK's. I use a dorm fridge w/ external controller for temp control. So when I do lagers, I have no choice but to use LBK's for lagering. I ferment for 2 weeks at 50* F in one, then do a 2-3 day diacetyl rest at about 60. Then, I rack to a "secondary LBK" and bring the temp down about 4 degrees per day, until reaching 40* F. I'll leave the beer in that state for 4 weeks (or less, if I need the space for ale fermentation), then bottle.

I've done about 4 batches this way. I've entered a couple of them in competitions, never getting dinged for any off-flavors, so I guess that's a vote for "yes, it can be done."

Is it optimal? I doubt it. I know I have had the same concerns as you -- primarily, the fact that once the yeast decrease activity, there won't be enough CO2 produced to "protect" the beer from oxygen.

If I had something other than LBK's for fermenting, I would use it -- but I don't. So for now, I go the LBK route and thus far (fingers crossed), I haven't had any major issues.

[jhough]

I've done 5 so far with no off flavors. I do drop the temp down to 36* though . I keep them there for 8 weeks the bottle and condition for another month after that.

[DaYooper]

I've done a couple but never racked to a secondary. I was concerned that there is way too much headspace in the LBK. It is fine during primary as it rapidly fills up with CO2, but that may not be the case in the secondary.

[Gman20]

so im thinking i might do the primary in the lbk....... then transfer to the 2 gallon plastic bucket...or maybe not leaving it in the lbk sounds easier also i like to mess with the beer as least as possible to prevent infections

[Trollby]

I have done 13 lagers/bock beers in LBK and only had one have off flavors (but think that was due to my mistake).

My drill is add to LBK and drop temp to 48-50*F for 16 days or so then raise temp to 60*F for 3 days. After the D-rest I drop to 48-50*F for 7 days or so then bottle.

Once in bottle I maintain 48-50*F for 8-12 more weeks until I drink. I leave them at 48-50*F if not in fridge to drink, I have a couple lagers 6 months old that are still at 50*F in my lagering chest

[Bluejaye]

I did 3 lagers this past winter, all were 4 weeks in the LBK (no secondary), 2 weeks room temp bottle carbing, then back into the dorm fridge at ~40 or so for a month before I opened one. Tasted great to me.

Saflager W-34/70 and Saflager S-23 (x2) were the yeasts I used.

[Gman20]

i think im goin with trollby's method