Lager with ease!

Gabe · May 2, 2006

I just started drinking a Lager I brewed Jan 18 and bottled march 28. It is the best HB I have done to date. The time spent in Primary was a little over 2 months with no secondary racking. All I have to say is time makes the heart grow fonder. I don't understand what other HB'ers are talking about this being a hard brew? Also what temp should Lager be fermented at? If you have a carboy ready and can let the beer stay in there for a while it is 100% worth it. I also fermented at 65 deg. in my living room. A great color, great taste, and everything a lager should be! If your not scared to try this type of beer I would be happy to post the recipe . Cheers to all HB'ers :mug:

Some Hasbeen · May 2, 2006

Gabe,

I actually plan on starting my first lager tonight. My ingredients (after some helpful suggestions from members of this thread) for a honey lager is as follows:

4 lbs LME
.5 lbs Honey

.75 oz Tettnang (bittering)
.25 oz Tettnang (flavor)

Lager Yeast

I'd love to see your recipe to compare notes before purchasing the product tonight. Also, a certain closet in basement usually hovers around 50-55 degrees F until the summer months really heat up so I thought that would be sufficient for lagering temps. I'm shooting for a nice crisp summer beer. Is that the result you ended up with? Thanks

Kaiser · May 2, 2006

gabe said:
The time spent in Primary was a little over 2 months with no secondary racking.

Great that it worked for you.

I had my Maibock on the yeast and at fermentation temps (~50F) for almost 2 months because it just didn't want to finish and hit its FG. That caused it to pick up some nasty yeastiness. I started lagering it 2 weeks ago and took it off the yeast 1 week ago. The yeastiness is now starting to dimish, but I wonder if it will ever be gone completely.

I'm also surprised that fermentation at 65F worked for you. What yeast strain did you use?

Kai

Some Hasbeen · May 2, 2006

Kaiser said:
I'm also surprised that fermentation at 65F worked for you. What yeast strain did you use?

Kai

I was going to ask that as well considering everything I read has the top end of the fermentation temp at 55F or so. But, I know little. Thus my many questions.

Gabe · May 2, 2006

Here is the Awsome Lager recipe I told you guys' about. Also this did come out as a fantastic summer brew!(wife's fav) If anything a bit more bittering hops would be good. If you wanted to play around with the malts or hops it might be interesting as well. its up to you this is a great one as is. Cheers :mug:

Mash- Extract-- Loggers Lager

4.4 lbs. pale malt extract
2lbs Briess 2 row malt
.5 lb Briess Munich malt
.5 lb Briess caramel 60L malt
.5 lb Briess Carapils or Briess caramel 20L

Hops:

1oz German Perle hops- Bittering
.5oz Cascades or NZ Hallertaur- Flavor
1oz New Zealand Hallertaur -Aroma

Yeast used was White Labs #810 San Francisco Lager (Or any Lager Substitute)
Add the extract in 2 batches 2.2lbs at first Boil and 2.2 at 30 min. Add flavor and aroma at own discretion.:rockin:

2nd Street Brewery · May 2, 2006

well that explains that. You actually made a steam beer not a true lager. Lagers do ferment much colder than the temps you stated. A good style, but if you plan to use lager yeast it will need to be done much colder and longer.

Gabe · May 2, 2006

I have never heard of a steam beer? enlighten me..........

Walker · May 2, 2006

gabe said:
I have never heard of a steam beer? enlighten me..........

Anchor Steam is the primary commercial example.

It's also known as a California Common beer. Basically, it uses a special lager yeast that ferments at ale temperatures.

-walker

Gabe · May 2, 2006

So if I wanted 2 I can take this exact recipe and age it colder for say.. 3 months and that would be a true lager?

Walker · May 2, 2006

gabe said:
So if I wanted 2 I can take this exact recipe and age it colder for say.. 3 months and that would be a true lager?

I think you would want to use a true lager yeast and not the San Fran strain.

a lager just means that you used bottom fermenting yeast at cooler temperatures for longer times. any ale recipe can just switch to a lager yeast and fermentation and become a lager recipe.

-walker

Gabe · May 2, 2006

Give an example of a white labs TRUE lager yeast, for white labs yeasts are what i am exclusivley using these day's. Thanks up front..

Baron von BeeGee · May 2, 2006

gabe said:
Give an example of a white labs TRUE lager yeast, for white labs yeasts are what i am exclusivley using these day's. Thanks up front..

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdBySubCat.aspx?SubCat=11128

Kaiser · May 2, 2006

This is what they have at WL:

http://www.whitelabs.com/results.asp?PageNo=2&zip=&Beverage+Type=lager&name=&company=&Mv=Previous+Page

Kai

Gabe · May 2, 2006

The 3rd one down the list is the exact strain I used , so again Im lost as to what I did wrong besides, for longer than 2 month ferm, and not cold enough to produce the real thing? Is their another preferable yeast they make that is better?

Baron von BeeGee · May 2, 2006

gabe said:
The 3rd one down the list is the exact strain I used , so again Im lost as to what I did wrong besides, for longer than 2 month ferm, and not cold enough to produce the real thing? Is their another preferable yeast they make that is better?

Dude, you haven't done anything wrong. You made a CA common lager which is a type of lager. From the White Labs website:

A unique lager strain which has the ability to ferment up to 65 degrees while retaining lager characteristics

You made a lager, type CA common. If you want to make a more traditional lager, go with one of the other lager strains on either of the links we listed and ferment it cooler. If you're happy with the CA common flavor, it's definitely easier to make! :mug:

Gabe · May 2, 2006

Thanks Barron, Kaiser for the info. I guess I was a little excited on how easy the lager was and how good the turnout was. I will do this 1 again but with the other strains that WL offers and put it in my 2nd fridge for colder ferm.Ive learned alot from this posting on lagers, so cheers and thanks again. :mug:

NEPABREWER · May 3, 2006

Anyone know if I can pull off an "Optimator" style brew with this Cali Yeast? My basement is about 58 degrees

Gabe · May 4, 2006

according to white labs #810 is not the lager yeast you would need to pull off a optimator ,I would youse a #820 or #830 for the best results.

Kaiser · May 4, 2006

NEPABREWER said:
Anyone know if I can pull off an "Optimator" style brew with this Cali Yeast? My basement is about 58 degrees

The style for Optimator is Doppelbock (one of my favorites). I'm not sure about using Cali Yeast for a Doppelbock, but it is worth a try if you don't have the means of cold fermentation and lagering it. Since this style takes a lot of flavors from the malt, it might be more forgiving to using a yeast/fermentation that is not as clean as a true lager yeast/fermentation.

Kai

Lager with ease!

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