Lager Yeasts

[BillyBock]

I have a beer fridge (no external temp. controller) and am thinking about starting to make lagers. The temp. range on the fridge is 33F - 44F. I know the typical recommended range for lager yeasts is 45F-55F. Will lager yeasts perform just as well from 40F-45F? If so, will fermentation be significantly slower?

[xbrewer]

According to Greg Noonan in "Brewing Lager Beer", a very good book by the way, a full-bodied, dextrin-rich lager above 1040 O.G. should be fermtented 5-8 days 50-55 deg. F. then 6-9 days at 48-50 deg. F. and finally 6-12 days at 41-48 deg. F. Lower fermentation temperatures will certainly slow fermentation. I recommend that you read Noonan"s book if you intend to brew many lagers.

[l48shark]

If you are interested in lagering, you should be able to pick up a thermostat that fits any fridge for precision lagering from your local (or online) homebrew supply store for about fifty bucks.

Cheers,
Ford
==
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-Benjamin Franklin

[Lindsay Dive]

Billy, I you wish to have a dabble at a lager, without going to the trouble of thermostats and refrigerators, try the Whitelabs San Francisco Lager yeast. This little gem will work quite quite well up to 62 degrees F and still give a wonderful result.