Old hand Brewing, New member

[Art K]

Hi I go by Art K use the same on many forums I'm a member of. I have been brewing since 1985 and have only made one batch that wasn't fit to drink, metallic tang. I acquired 3 Cornelius kegs free and haven't looked back. I'm not equipped to make a lager so I do ales, except for the occasional steam beer. Occasionally I make a batch of beer for a friend at Christmas & bottle that. I like most styles of beer. Others have grown on me like hazy, east coast & west coast IPA's. I use Beersmith 2.? but in my last batch I've run into some questions I hope I can get some help on.

Cheers
Art K

 

[BOB357]

Welcome Art K.

 

[Kevin58]

Hey Art K. Don't let the mystique of lagers stop you from making them. Keep in mind the word Lager simply means to store or keep. We have come to believe that since lager yeast ferments at temperatures lower than optimal for ales that we must ferment at those temperatures. We also assume that since the lagering period typically occurred at lower temperatures that we must condition ours at those temperatures too. Neither of those things need to be true. You can use lager yeast at ale temperatures or any of the other newer yeasts that folks are using to warm ferment lagers. Since you already use kegs (and a kegerator?) you can carry out the lagering phase there. It is in that lagering phase where the beer drops clear and where the style gets its name. Break free of that mental block and just start making lager!

 

[Art K]

Hey Art K. Don't let the mystique of lagers stop you from making them. Keep in mind the word Lager simply means to store or keep. We have come to believe that since lager yeast ferments at temperatures lower than optimal for ales that we must ferment at those temperatures. We also assume that since the lagering period typically occurred at lower temperatures that we must condition ours at those temperatures too. Neither of those things need to be true. You can use lager yeast at ale temperatures or any of the other newer yeasts that folks are using to warm ferment lagers. Since you already use kegs (and a kegerator?) you can carry out the lagering phase there. It is in that lagering phase where the beer drops clear and where the style gets its name. Break free of that mental block and just start making lager!

Thanks for the welcome Bob& Kevin. I'm not afraid of making a lager, I just know the limitations of my equipment. I don't have spare refrigeration that will accommodate a 5 & 6 gallon fermenter. I imagine I could do it in the garage in the winter but the temperature wouldn't be dependable. My friend I make a batch for occasionally likes the high test stuff like Samichlaus or Hofbrau winter. One I have a recipe for HB I don't. Pick your battles.
Art

 

[Kevin58]

Thanks for the welcome Bob& Kevin. I'm not afraid of making a lager, I just know the limitations of my equipment. I don't have spare refrigeration that will accommodate a 5 & 6 gallon fermenter. I imagine I could do it in the garage in the winter but the temperature wouldn't be dependable. My friend I make a batch for occasionally likes the high test stuff like Samichlaus or Hofbrau winter. One I have a recipe for HB I don't. Pick your battles.
Art

The point of my post is that you don't have to have any special equipment at all. You can ferment at whatever temperature you can manage. Any recipe, any grist, any yeast and at any temperature you can make a lager. Don't let anyone else dissuade you. I was in the same mindset years ago but I finally said F it and started making lagers with what I had. I don't have a fermentation fridge so I fermented at ale temps. I do make the concession of using SafLager 34/70 yeast which works well at those higher temps and have even used some of the Kveik yeast strains like Lutra and Voss which have been used in making pseudo lagers at temperatures up to 90F. I have served them to friends without telling them how they were made and not one of them could tell that they were a "pseudo" lager. You only need to un-wrap your head around the mystique that surrounds lager beer. In the end it's just beer.

 

[Art K]

The point of my post is that you don't have to have any special equipment at all. You can ferment at whatever temperature you can manage. Any recipe, any grist, any yeast and at any temperature you can make a lager. Don't let anyone else dissuade you. I was in the same mindset years ago but I finally said F it and started making lagers with what I had. I don't have a fermentation fridge so I fermented at ale temps. I do make the concession of using SafLager 34/70 yeast which works well at those higher temps and have even used some of the Kveik yeast strains like Lutra and Voss which have been used in making pseudo lagers at temperatures up to 90F. I have served them to friends without telling them how they were made and not one of them could tell that they were a "pseudo" lager. You only need to un-wrap your head around the mystique that surrounds lager beer. In the end it's just beer.