I racked my Helles Bock to a corny for lagering two days ago. The empty carboy had a pronounced yeasty smell, and a ton of spent yeast at the bottom. A sample today has a pronounced yeasty taste and smell. In fact, it smells just like the yeast I pitched.
A little background: OG ~1.075. Pitched 55g (yes, 5 packages) of rehydrated S-23 into 60F(?) wort. Primary at 46-48F (to avoid S-23`s notorious fruity esters) for 13 days, the last 3 days of which it was allowed to free-rise to 58F or so (to avoid S-23`s notorious diacetyl). I`m currently in the process of dropping the temp to mid-30s for lagering, in daily 5F increments. This is my first experience with S-23. Previously I`ve used Wyeast 2112 (twice) with decent, if unexciting, results.
My first instinct is autolysis, but I`ve never experienced this before, so I`m not sure. There is not a "burnt rubber" smell, so I`m guessing not. I don`t think the primary was too long -- actually, it seems short, given the OG. IMHO, I do think I timed the diacetyl rest right (can`t give you hard evidence, just "gut"
. Nor do I feel the ferment was too warm; again, I think I erred (if at all) on the cool side. I`m guessing the pitching rate, if anything, is at fault, though I don`t think you can overpitch a lager (or an ale, for that matter).
Any clues as to the source of the yeasty smell? Is it inherent in this strain, or is a symptom of a problem?
What do you think will happen? Should I just let it lager for a couple months, in the hopes that the yeastiness will work itself out, or is it doomed already?
TIA for any and all replies.
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