Lagering?
Moderator: slothrob
Lagering?
Ok...I wan't to try a lager but I don't have a spare fridge; I live in northern Canada so it's too cold outside. My basement stays around 14 celsius, all the literature I have read says that lager yeast works between 2 and 15 c. 'Start at the high end and finish at the low end'. Can I just keep it at the high end or will it become too yeasty?
Lucky dog
I want a basement with a constant tempreture too!
Anyway, a small tube to the outside might work?
A carboy heater? A move to the US?
What I try to do is keep the lager within the range that is ideal for that strain of yeast(website info) it will keep the "fruity" flavors away for that clean Lager taste.
You can make any beer with lager yeasts at ale tempreture and have a good beer, it may not be what was intended but ok anyway, not yeasty. Steam beer is the obvious example.
Anyway, a small tube to the outside might work?
A carboy heater? A move to the US?
What I try to do is keep the lager within the range that is ideal for that strain of yeast(website info) it will keep the "fruity" flavors away for that clean Lager taste.
You can make any beer with lager yeasts at ale tempreture and have a good beer, it may not be what was intended but ok anyway, not yeasty. Steam beer is the obvious example.
Jerry riggin'
This is an idea I have been pondering for a while to save on the cost of a fridge. You could build an insulated box big enough for the fermenter and a small electric space heater. Put the box outside and connect the heater to a temp controlled switch that you could set at the desired temp range. When things get to cold, the heater would turn on, keeping the box and beer at a relatively constant temp. Conversly, when the temp was high enough, the heater would shut off. This way you can fend off the elements and not have to make room in your house and budget for another fridge.
BTW, what part of Canada are you talking. I am now in Maple Ridge BC, just outside Vancouver.
Chris
BTW, what part of Canada are you talking. I am now in Maple Ridge BC, just outside Vancouver.
Chris
Thought about that hmmm
I'm from Edmonton, the box sounds good. I thought about the heated box, a thermostat switch and light bulb/heater. Even a car block heater might be enough if it was well insulated.