Home of the BrewNosers

Now that I've got myself set up with a fermentation chamber with an Inkbird, I decided to pick up a Festa Brew Czech Pilsner kit for a quick first attempt at producing a lager. I've been doing some reading about the process and thought I'd ask if I were on the right track with what I intend to do, or if any experts could chime in with recommendations. This is one of the articles I read, and where some of my confusion is coming from: https://www.brewjacket.com/how-to-lager ... -5-steps/

1. Pitch yeast (S-23) at room temp
2. Bring primary down to 52F - the article I linked to suggests fermenting for 20 days, while the instructions with the kit (for what they're worth) suggest primary for 2-4 days then secondary for another week. Having brewed a number of ales now using only a primary I would rather skip the secondary, if possible. Should I lean toward the kit's instructions or ferment in the primary for 20 days as per the article?
3. Diacetyl rest at around 63F for 3 days - is a diacetyl rest done in the fermenter, or after racking to a keg?
4. Slowly reduce temp from diacetyl rest to 40 F, 2F per day and lager for 3 weeks

Any input would be great!

If you are going to ferment at 52F you want to pickup a few extra packages of s-23. Use an online yeast pitching calculator to determine the amount. If the wort is between 1.050 and 1.055 and 23 liters your going to need 420-462 billon cells to ferment. 2 rehydrated packages can give you around 400 billon cells so I'd pitch 3 packages. The Festa kits only give you enough yeast to ferment at a warmer temperature ie the top end of s23 range. There are many different methods to lager and the one you attached looks good.

Check out this article as food for thought. http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

I'd toss the kit instructions. If you keg I'd rack to a keg after the D rest and only ferment in primary.

Thanks for the advice, Woody!

The OG of the wort is supposed to be right around 1.048 according to the Noble Grape website. Using Brewer's Friend, it looks like even with 3 packets of S-23 I will need a starter, and this is something I have never done! Do you think it would work out alright by simply rehydrating the 3 packets? If not, if you have any good "crash course" articles on producing a yeast starter, that would be appreciated!

Also worth noting that I misread the yeast package - I will ferment at 55F, for what that's worth, since it is right in the middle of the optimal range according to the package.

You can just rehydrate dry yeast. I only make starters for liquid yeast.

I use http://www.brewunited.com/yeast_calculator.php

For a lager and 6 gallons at 1.048 OG you need 406 billon cells so 2 new packages would almost get you there but if you want to ferment low and test out the chamber and ink bird I'd pitch more yeast than you need.

Thanks again, Woody! I'll pick up two additional packets of S-23 tomorrow evening and get things underway.

FWIW, the Festa Czech Pils clocked in at 1.052 ...

Forgot to add dry yeast packages tend to have more yeast cells in a package vs liquid yeast. Liquid yeast tends to loose viable cells quicker than dry. Some say an 11.5 g dry package of yeast has 200+ billon cells vs liquid at 100 billon cells. I think it's better to error on the side of caution and assume less and pitch more. The older the yeast the less viable cells. I found using a yeast pitch calculator and inputting production dates helped me allot with liquid yeast. With dry yeast I wouldn't worry as much.

What I have been doing with my lagers is week and a half at 9 Celsius then the reset of the second week at room temperature. I normally would use 2 packets of rehydrated yeast.

Then I transfer to secondary for 5 days back at 9. Then bring it up 2 days before I bottle.

It may not be the right way to do it, but it works for me.