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Adding ale yeast to lager

Scubabrewer

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Hi folks
Just heard 2012 blog on Pilsner brewing. The BrewMeister adds ale yeast before bottling after a six week lagering. He didn't say if he added dry yeast, hydrated yeast or a starter. Any views/experience greatly appreciated before I start my Bohemian Pilsner.
Summary :-
Length 21L  SG=1.049  FG = 1.006  IBU =36 ABV = 5% Mash at 68degC. Fermentation at optimum temperature for yeast.
Grain Bill 4Kg Pilsner Malt
              100g Maize
              500g Carapils
Hops      30g Northern Brewer x 60mins
              30g Saaz x 30mins, 20g Saaz x 20mins, 20g Saaz x 10mins, 15g Saaz x 0 mins, Dry hop in primary Saaz 15g
After primary, rack to secondary (4 days) then lager for six weeks. Bottle using 100g malt extract and ale yeast
Any comments?  Cheers Scubabrewer
 
Scubabrewer said:
After primary, rack to secondary (4 days) then lager for six weeks.

This sounds like a 'boilerplate' instruction is a printed recipe, but most lager fermentations would be 21-28 days at least.  However long it takes to reach stable FG for three days running. 

As to your ale-yeast-for-priming question, I have no experience with that, but perhaps it just speeds up carbonation?  It would not take much since there is ample lager yeast still in the beer.
 
Just wondering... I have brewed 230 batches so far and of course mostly Ales... the few lager/pilseners that I have made I have laagered them and bottle conditioned at 10 Centigrade (50 F) and Ale yeast will fall asleep at this temp... so why use it? Its only active at around 15 C... and yes I also agree that there is plenty of Lager yeast in the beer to ferment the small amount of Dextrose that I use (7 Grams per Litre) to achieve the fizz that we love about Lager/pilsener beers
 
After you bottle, you should leave the beer for 10 days or so at room temperature, to allow fermentation to produce the co2 carbonation required.
But I see no reason to use ale yeast to carbonate the lager. I bottle when my FG is .003 points away and dont add anything, after fermenting for about 20 days. After 10 days at about 65 f, they are carbonated.
There must be a reason for that in your recipe, depending upon yeast varieties and their specs, so I woiuldn't alter it unless you have combed over every detail of the recipe.
 
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