S-23 Lager Question

[thestraw0039]

I am doing a lager with S-23, last lager I did I used W-34/70 and did a diactyl rest but still got some diactyl in the final product. I have no experience with S-23 and was wondering how my fermentation schedule looks.

Recipe:

9.5# Pilsner 2 row mashed at 148 for 70 minutes.
60 min boil 0.75 oz Mt Hood (5.4%)
10 min boil 1.0 oz Saaz (2%)
5 min boil 1.0 oz Saaz (2%)

OG: 1.051

Fermentation Schedule:

Day 0-10 at 55 F
Day 10-15 raise to 65 F
15-21 hold at 65 F

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[ba-brewer]

Your schedule would work, but I think you can do it faster without issues.

My lagers are usually done with active fermentation in 6 or 7 days then I give them 3 days at 61 for a diacetyl rest. I start at 50 and bump the temp a few degree every couple days to keep the yeast active.

I do a diacetyl test to make sure they are done. So far I have not had to extend fermentation because of failed test.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=108077

 

[tgolanos]

I am doing a lager with S-23, last lager I did I used W-34/70 and did a diactyl rest but still got some diactyl in the final product. I have no experience with S-23 and was wondering how my fermentation schedule looks.

Recipe:

9.5# Pilsner 2 row mashed at 148 for 70 minutes.
60 min boil 0.75 oz Mt Hood (5.4%)
10 min boil 1.0 oz Saaz (2%)
5 min boil 1.0 oz Saaz (2%)

OG: 1.051

Fermentation Schedule:

Day 0-10 at 55 F
Day 10-15 raise to 65 F
15-21 hold at 65 F

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

I've used s23 before and got no diacytel from it. Your fermentation schedule looks good too. It's exactly how I do my lagers so I think you'll end up with a good product.

Willow Grove, eh? I grew up on the other side of the mall in Abington. Cheers

 

[thestraw0039]

@ba-brewer

I figured I could do it quicker, I wasn't really sure if I was going to slow honestly. Also you say you start at 50 and bump it every couple of days, I take it you are doing day 0 50, day 2 52, day 4 54... I was definitely wondering if waiting to day ten to start bumping is waiting too long.

@tgolanos

Good to hear you liked S23 (or I can assume you liked it). The LHBS was out of W34/70 so I picked this up, but have read a lot of people don't like it and it gives off a lot of fruit flavors. I was honestly considering getting a different strand as said screw it why not. And cool to see you grow up in Abington, my wife went to Arcadia, which you probably remember as Beaver College,

 

[ba-brewer]

Yes that is pretty much what I do, but I actually check the gravity and adjust when the gravity is at 50, 70 and 90 percent of the expected attention. If you aerate well and pitch appropriately so you have a healthy fermentation you can go by the days without checking gravity.
This is typical of one my lager beers;
Day 0 50
Day 2 53
Day 4 56
Day 6 61
Day >=9 keg

I got the idea from Tasty Mcdole on one of the Brewing Network shows. He starts at 55 and bumps 3 degrees at the same attenuation percentages. I can only go to 61F so I made some ajustments for my system. The main idea is to drive the yeast and keep it active by changing the temp before they naturally start slowing down.

 

[tgolanos]

@tgolanos

Good to hear you liked S23 (or I can assume you liked it). The LHBS was out of W34/70 so I picked this up, but have read a lot of people don't like it and it gives off a lot of fruit flavors. I was honestly considering getting a different strand as said screw it why not. And cool to see you grow up in Abington, my wife went to Arcadia, which you probably remember as Beaver College,

I've used both S23 & 34/70 with great results. 34/70 is cleaner while S23 does have more "fruity" flavors, but I've never experienced the level that some posts have mentioned. In fact, I have a dark lager I did a few weeks back with leftover grains and S23. Tastes great by my standard at this point. Hopefully yours turns out tasty as well.

I remember when Beaver changed its name to Arcadia. There was a bit of a brew-ha-ha (pardon the pun) in Glenside when that happened. My sister looked at Beaver for college. I ended up at Temple.

 

[Bosh]

I find that S-23 likes things warmer than other lager yeasts.

 

[thestraw0039]

@ba-brewer

That schedule looks pretty good, I may have to take a reading in a few days and start the bump a little early. Looks pretty foolproof as far as diacytel.

@tgolanos

Good to hear you enjoy both yeast, I am curious how this ends up, brew day went well so hopefully end up with a good result. And cheers to another Temple alumn, did my graduate studies there .

@Bosh

Are you talking ale temperatures, because during my reading I did come across that with some people even saying it was best fermenting at ale temps. Not sure how much I trust that though, with my total of maybe 10 batch experience

 

[Mainer]

Wow. You guys all agree about this? I must be letting my lagers sit way too long. I give mine at least three weeks in primary and six weeks in secondary.

I love S-23, though. Everything I've done with it came out nice and clean, but not too clean. Like a clean lager with a hint of fruit and a slight rustic edge to it. I like that profile, and have used it especially for grainier lagers like Vienna.

 

[ba-brewer]

I dont do a secondary, just lager in the keg. 4 to 6 weeks in the keg most are ready to drink.

 

[Weezy]

S-23 is my most used lager yeast. I recommend mashing low.

 

[Denny]

I made the worst beers Ive ever made with S-23. So bad I sent some to Palmer who said it tasted like passion fruit wine cooler. Even after a year of lagering and dry hopping it was still disgustingly fruity.

 

[Bosh]

@ba-brewer

That schedule looks pretty good, I may have to take a reading in a few days and start the bump a little early. Looks pretty foolproof as far as diacytel.

@tgolanos

Good to hear you enjoy both yeast, I am curious how this ends up, brew day went well so hopefully end up with a good result. And cheers to another Temple alumn, did my graduate studies there .

@Bosh

Are you talking ale temperatures, because during my reading I did come across that with some people even saying it was best fermenting at ale temps. Not sure how much I trust that though, with my total of maybe 10 batch experience

Did some experiments and found that S-23 can make OK beer at even high high Belgian ale temps (not great, but acceptable). At more normal temps I found it to have a bit of a muddy flavor at normal lager temps and to be delicious and just slightly fruity at the lower end of ale temps (about 60 Fahrenheit).

But have done a total of 4 batches with it so not a whole lot of experience, but reading threads a lot of people like it warmer as well, kind of a hybrid yeast. Can make some good beer, love the pale bock I just made with it.

 

[thestraw0039]

Quick update, I have been fermenting at 55, took a gravity reading yesterday (day 4 of fermentation), gravity was down to 1.014 with BeerSmith having an expected FG of 1.010. Have ramped up to 60 and will probably get to 65 by Sunday and let it go for a little bit.

I tasted the sample, did not notice any diacytel (didn't notice any in my last lager with W34 either, but had some in the final product) so I'm going to probably give this a week at 65 and then start the lager process. I will say I also noticed some fruit in the sample, not in a bad way, will be interesting to see what the final product tastes like.