TopherM
Well-Known Member
OK, so I'm a very experienced brewer, but had never attempted a lager until a few weeks ago because I didn't have a good means of temp control until a few months ago.
I was pretty confident in my process - I pitched and fermented with Saflager W-34/70 at 52 ambient temp for 9 days before I hit 75% of FG, then raised the temp to 70F for 48 hours for the d-rest. I then lowered the temp 5 degrees a day from 70-65-60-55-50-45-40-35, and held at 35.
I was at 35 for about 5 days before my display cooler has decided it is low on freon or something of that nature, and started slowly warming up, until about 5 days later it is now holding steady at about 55.
So, I'm about 28 days from brewday and am now "lagering" at about 55F. What's going to be the net result of conditioning at 55F instead of lagering at 35? I figure that I'm not far enough out of range to get off flavors or make steam beer, but I'm certainly not lagering....
I was pretty confident in my process - I pitched and fermented with Saflager W-34/70 at 52 ambient temp for 9 days before I hit 75% of FG, then raised the temp to 70F for 48 hours for the d-rest. I then lowered the temp 5 degrees a day from 70-65-60-55-50-45-40-35, and held at 35.
I was at 35 for about 5 days before my display cooler has decided it is low on freon or something of that nature, and started slowly warming up, until about 5 days later it is now holding steady at about 55.
So, I'm about 28 days from brewday and am now "lagering" at about 55F. What's going to be the net result of conditioning at 55F instead of lagering at 35? I figure that I'm not far enough out of range to get off flavors or make steam beer, but I'm certainly not lagering....