Just got a kegging setup with a chest freezer and temperature controller. So, this will be my first lager and first keg. I plan to leave at 51 for 10 days, or until fermentation slows. Then, I will bring it to room temperature for 3-4 days. Finally, I will lager at 35 for 4 weeks.
When I think of lager, I think of extra light, crisp, session beer. So, that is what I am going for here. The recipe was invented estimating 65% efficiency, and I got 78%. I started milling my grain with a different mill, (not the giant one at S2A brewery, but their smaller one), and I also built a heatstick and carefully verified each temperature during sparging and step mash. The step mash will hopefully result in a stupidly high attenuation- I would like a FG in the 1.00x range.
This is also the first batch I have tried toasting my own grains, I toasted 8 oz of 2 row at 300 degrees for 30 minutes for approximately 20L. I put 4oz of that in the mash, along with 8 oz of Crystal 10L.
The second time I make this I am going to try simply using 8 oz of home toasted 20L and no storebought crystal 10L.
First time around, planned Wyeast Pilsen Lager, LHBS sent WLP Pilsner, so I pitched both. Second time, LHBS was out of those, so I am using 1pk Wyeast American Lager and 1pk WLP American Lager. Additionally, the 2nd time I am going to do a 2L starter (with 2pk yeast) to get to the needed ~400billion cells, and I am going to krausen after primary is almost done, by reserving ~2L of wort and pitching a 3rd packet of (Wyeast American Lager) into it after around a week. I may also add 1 lb of instant grits, if I can find any with no added ingredients. This would make the beer more to style.