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Did a pilsner and freaking out about fermentation

newbrewguy

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OK. This is my second batch ever... I have been up all night researching and am still freaking out. I know every page says leave things alone, so that is what I am doing. BUT here is what I have:

"Pirates Brew Pilsner" p.278 of the brew masters bible.

I brewed on Monday Night was chilling my wort on ice in the sink. I fell asleep before I could pitch my "Pilsen Lager Wyeast labs #2007"
I woke up around 8 hours after activating my yeast packet, it was at room temp and my carboy was near 70. So I pitched it then. I am pretty sure I did everything correctly.(except the nap) I kept the yeast in the fridge until my brew day, but pitched it at room temp. I noticed some swelling but not as much as expected (again my first time using it)

It is midnight on Thursday I am not seeing what I thnk I should, but my carboy is about 68 degrees for temp. Some sites imply that this is way to warm for a pils and recommend 50 degrees for primary but apparently my options are 68 or whatever I can get my fridge up to. I just set my fridge to the warmest I can get it and moved it there.

Could the warm temp be slowing the active fermentation I am expecting? Is everything ok? I notice movement, but I think it is swirlling cause I just carried it. I am going to check it again when I get up, but being a new guy I am freaking out!
 
It should ferment but this yeast is a lager yeast and works optimally at 48-56f.  Warm temperatures are certain to produce diacetyl and sulfur at 68.  It would have been possible to rescue it had you dropped the temp rapidly to the low 50's and held it there.  At 68, it will very likely be unpleasant. 

You might as well let it go the fermentation time and see what happens.  maybe you will get lucky and it is a drinkable ale rather than a lager.
 
Thanks for the info. I'll let it run it's course and see what happens. either way I have learned a valuable lesson. and I'll know for the next time.
 
Yeah I think you are going to have some off flavors in there but its true you may get lucky and find a nice ale in your mist .... though buttery cream corn flavors are a bit off putting ... wait it out and use this as a test rather than just a batch of brew ...
 
HOWEVER....  It will still taste better than Coors Light! A second batch only means you have 2,000 batches left to get it right on mark. Brew on soldier. The learning never stops and it keeps getting better.
 
a friend of mine was over this weekend and had some steam beer. I moved my "liquid in question" to secondary today. It smelled similar to my buddy's Steam beer...  hopefully everything comes out OK... only thing is I may have made my buddy 5 gallons of beer cause I didn't care for it.

Like we both agreed in the garage when we were smelling it... this will be a good lesson.
 
Don't go by the taste at the end of primary fermentation.  Beer needs several weeks to clean up some of the stuff that gives it an off taste.  It WILL get better in a couple weeks.  However, you will not have a Pilsner at the temperature you are fermenting at.
 
I did secondary at 46... and plan to bottle on schedule, then I will let it sit for a month or so.. unnless someone has another recommendation
 
Setting for a month at 46 will help some, but you still will not have a Pilsner - just enjoy it if it tastes ok. 

For the next time you try a Pilsner, primary fermentation temperature should be around 50-52 F and lagering temperature should be around 35-37 F.  I've found a good way to kick off a lager fermentation is to use some go ferm while hydrating your yeast and pitch it at 70F but move it immediately to your cold storage at 50F.  It lets the yeast get started quicker but the temperature falls quickly enough to prevent more acetyl alcohol from forming than the yeast can handle removing during lagering.
 
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