single temp for ale and lager

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danger831

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Is there one good temp that I can ferment both ales and lagers? I have a fermentation chest and I want to do both in it at the same time. Thanks
 
You can't really go below about 60F with most ale yeasts, so I think that would be your cut off. Lagers would like it cooler, but... the ale just won't ferment much colder than that.
 
Do the ales for the bulk of fermentation in your chamber, then remove to ambient or a swamp cooler to age and use the chamber for lagers only. There really isn't a temp where they both ferment OPTIMALLY, hence the destinction between ale and lager yeast.
 
The simple answer is no. Typical optimum temp for lager yeasts is 50F. That's too low for ale yeasts.

The complicated answer is yes, depending on strain. You could use Wyeast's california lager alongside just about any ale yeast, or the Fermentis dry lager yeasts at 54 or so alongside Nottingham. There are other combinations you might try.

Anyway, why not just brew all lagers or all ales at any given time? The lagers can lager while the ales ferment, and you can drink them at the same time.
 
A local brewery does a blonde ale and user the fermentis larger yeast around 68f, I was a bit shocked but he said he didn't have time to ferment it lower. Not tried the beer but it sells well apparently.
 
You don't need a second fridge just another temp. controler and a FermWrap Heater, set the fridge for your lager temp (50-55F) and then set the other temp. controler to your ale temp. and wrap it with the FermWrap Heater. Best would be if you use it with a thermowell but as long as the probe is reading the internal temp not the FermWraps out put directly you'll be fine.
Works for me.
And it makes crashing the ale easy just turn off the Fermwrap...
 
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