11 replies to this topic

[passlaku]

I live in the deep, deep South and currently have no control over ferment temps (aside from igloo coolers where I dump ice bottles). I have been wanting to buy a large chest freezer and create a compartment for fermentation within the freezer but was wondering if I could just switch to lager yeast for all fermentations? That is, I was wondering if any one has tried lager yeast in traditional ALE recipes, eg IPA or stout fermented with these yeast? Again, I was wanting to buy a large chest freezer for serving and fermenting and was wondering if I should just switch to fermenting with all lager yeast, a la Charlie Papazian's Cry Havoc. I wanted to try something like this:Image found at:https://www.oregonbr...er/freezer.html

[BrewerGeorge]

I don't plan on using just one yeast unless the zombies come, but I will say that getting that fermentation freezer makes any yeast easy. With it you can easily hit the exact optimum temp for any ale OR lager yeast you try.

[passlaku]

Thanks for the the reply. I have been listening to the Brewing NEtwork and Jamil always says that aside from cleanliness and sanitation, Ferm temp is the most important aspect of the process. I just know that I am way too lazy to be changing out those frozen water bottles and would like an easy solution to this problem of mine.

[BrewerGeorge]

Thanks for the the reply. I have been listening to the Brewing NEtwork and Jamil always says that aside from cleanliness and sanitation, Ferm temp is the most important aspect of the process. I just know that I am way too lazy to be changing out those frozen water bottles and would like an easy solution to this problem of mine.

It's a somewhat-expensive buy in, but worth it if you brew a lot. Except for checking to make sure I haven't had an airlock blown off by an aggressive ferment the first few days, I rarely even look at fermenting beer until it's time to keg it.

[Slainte]

Thanks for the the reply. I have been listening to the Brewing NEtwork and Jamil always says that aside from cleanliness and sanitation, Ferm temp is the most important aspect of the process. I just know that I am way too lazy to be changing out those frozen water bottles and would like an easy solution to this problem of mine.

Not just fermentation temp, but fermentation control. Everything from pitching proper amounts of yeast, good oxygenation, and temperature control.When I got a hand of those things, my beer improved dramatically.

[Dave]

Check the classifieds for an old refrigerator....you can usually get one around here for $50-$80.Also, sometimes when apartments/rental homes get renovated there are free ones!(that's how I got 2 of mine)

[Yeasty Boy]

I wonder how many of us with kegorators don't lager "because we don't have temp control."Many kegorators aren't controlled, just set to a decent fridge setting, but for those of us with controllers, it is nothing to move a couple of kegs onto the floor and drink our beer at 50° for ten days. From there, we can slowly come down to whatever we want our lagering temp to be, rack and then drink our beer at 38° or whatever happy medium. You don't have to lager at 32 for good results. In fact, my general lagering temp was 38 back when I had to lager in my serving fridge, and it's worked well enough that I still do something between 35 and 38 unless it's a really big boy.Now, back to the OP:I have made an IPL (IPA with all German ingredients and lager yeast) and I've done a cream ale with lager yeast. That's about as far as it got. My cream ale was more like an APA wit pils instead of pale base, and then a bit of flaked corn. It tasted like a decent cream ale - not my fav anyway. The IPL tasted like it sounds. It was a hoppy, full-bodied lager, with a ton of Hallertau in the nose, a right tasty beer but in no way a sub for a god IPA. The esters given from a good English ale strain are missed sorely.In short, you could certainly make quite a range of beers, malty to bitter, full-bodied to dry, roasty to clean, using a lager yeast. But I don't think you'll ever get anything decently "Belgian" out of it for instance, and your English styles will come off a bit flat (in my eyes.) You may love the results, but you're severely limiting yourself.

[pods8]

I wonder how many of us with kegorators don't lager "because we don't have temp control."Many kegorators aren't controlled, just set to a decent fridge setting, but for those of us with controllers, it is nothing to move a couple of kegs onto the floor and drink our beer at 50° for ten days. From there, we can slowly come down to whatever we want our lagering temp to be, rack and then drink our beer at 38° or whatever happy medium. You don't have to lager at 32 for good results. In fact, my general lagering temp was 38 back when I had to lager in my serving fridge, and it's worked well enough that I still do something between 35 and 38 unless it's a really big boy.

Or you could have a kegorator (temp controlled chest freezer), smaller temp controlled chest freezer for fermenting, and a beer fridge that is available for lagering...

[MyaCullen]

Or you could have a kegorator (temp controlled chest freezer), smaller temp controlled chest freezer for fermenting, and a beer fridge that is available for lagering...

don't tempt me.......I don't need anty higher electric bills, but that sure sounds ideal.

[ncbeerbrewer]

Miccullen. Pods might be onto something. I have a chest freezer strictly to ferment beer max 2 carboys. One freezer to lager and cold age whatever I need, a kegerator with 4 taps and another freezer that I had to get my wife for "food" but it holds all my hops and thats the majority of the space as well. What can you say. On topic though, I think like anything there is a time and place for it all, while there are many great lager yeasts there are many great styles that a lager yeast just does not compliment enough to make it worth the while. I like variety and brew with many strains ales and lagers but hey this is homebrewing, you gotta do it how you want too.

[Yeasty Boy]

Sure, ideally a seperate fridge for fermenting, lagering and serving. But my post was directed at those who already have one controller, and don't do lagers, because their controlled fridge is "tied up."

[kbhale]

I've not use Charlie Papazian's Cry Havoc but I have tried to develop Kolsch and Brett B into a house yeast. I like the kegerator with a Lager chamber Idea. Brewing in Alabama heat and humidity must be challenge in it's self.