My First Lager...

[GillettBreweryCnslt]

Well, I'm going to try my first lager, well it's going to be a pilsner, but I'm lagering it. I've come up with a very simple recipe so I can see how well my lagering skills are. Plus, there's nothing like a mid-summer light pilsner. I plan on fermenting as usual in a bucket with an airlock, but then due to space and temperature requirements I will lager for 7-8 weeks in the keg in my spare fridge to get the optimum 34-36F needed. Here's the recipe for the yet-to-be named lager.

Batch Size: 19.00 L
Boil Size: 6.15 L
Estimated OG: 1.055 SG
Estimated Color: 8.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.50 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 83.33 %
1.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 11.11 %
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.56 %
2.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (60 min) Hops 9.3 IBU
1.00 oz Warrior [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 15.1 IBU
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (5 min) Hops 0.9 IBU

[mr x]

Looks good to me. What yeast are you using? Can you keep the fermentation temp down?

[GillettBreweryCnslt]

I'm using the Czech Pilsner from Wyeast. Fermentation will be at around 10-13C (in my unfinished basement which is consistently at 10C on the ground and 13C at head height). If was an easy brew thats for sure, I ended up dropping the vienna and doubling the Cara-pils. After the hour boil the OG was 1.054, should be good as long as the yeast does its thing.

[mr x]

Should be good on the floor for temps.