Lagering

Maybe this should be in the Fermentation group, but since I'm also a Newb, it kinda fits here as well.

I'd kill for an Octoberfest right now! I love 'em! I understand that doing an Octoberfest right requires having a temp controlled environment through the fermentation process. Which I do not have and could not afford the expense. Then lagering in a temp controlled environment which, again, I do not have.

I see recipes, Mr. Beer and others, that make no mention of any extra steps to take during fermentation. Is there something about their recipes that don't require the extra steps or what?

Where do you live? Most places right now you could do fermentation in a garage or shed. Or look on Craigslist for a free or nearly free chest freezer and get an st1000 controller or something similar. I have a similar one I got off Amazon for$15.

I'm in PA, I have a garage, but its unused and extremely damp and dirty. I live in a rental.

What I read makes believe that it needs be controlled and monitored really closely. I just don't have the time and money for that.

I once did a dunkel lager in the garage area of my apartment. Came out great. I had to pick the right time of year to do it. I chose late fall, where I hit acceptable fermentation temps first and then lower lagering temps as the weather changed.

I did not closely control or monitor temps. Just put the fermenter in a swamp cooler, which helps to limit temp swings from day to night.

Spring is a great time to lager, we used to have an unheated room (Long Island) which prevented freezing but below 55° during the day and produced nice lagers. As noted, a garage would likely be similar.

My mini fridge kegertator holds temp steady at 46° on the 2 setting - no controller needed.

I saw a DIY, where a guy took a cheap mini fridge, took off the door a built a basic cabinet around it and insulted the inside (seal it to the side so you can leave then back of the fridge exposed to oven the heat from the motor). He added a temp controller, but given my experience with my tap, you probably could dial in a setting to hold it at lagering temp. This would give you the ability to size it to your needs, 5 gallon carboy, multiple carboys etc. Since mini fridges often pop up on CL or garage sales next to nothing, and the cabinet and insulation would be a few bucks, this could be a very inexpensive option.

Most of the kits that are sold w/names of lagers have ale yeast in them.

You can do a pseudo-lager/Mocktoberfest with ale yeast and it'll be just fine. Try Wyeast 1007 German Ale yeast, and I hear Nottingham also works well.

dannyp75 said:

I'm in PA, I have a garage, but its unused and extremely damp and dirty. I live in a rental.

What I read makes believe that it needs be controlled and monitored really closely. I just don't have the time and money for that.

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There is a lot of lore about brewing beer that is only loosely connected to reality. Some people will tell you that you need to control the temperature to within a tenth of a degree and have to change that temperature by no more than 1 degree a day as you bring you lager up to the diacetyl rest, then lager it for 6 months at as close to freezing as possible. Others will be much more loose with their process and win awards at competition.

To make a true Octoberfest will require lager yeast and temperature control. To make a pseudo lager you can substiture Nottingham and start the ferment in the mid 50's for a week, then let it warm to room temp. That cool ferment can be accomplished in a swamp cooler with ice. Give it time to clear before bottling and when carbonated put several bottles in the refrigerator for some time to get them cool to "lager in the bottles".

Thanks for the input. I think I may give my dirty garage a try. I'm thinking that putting my carboy in there for a couple weeks and then moving it to my more stable basement for a few more weeks might be enough to give me a decent Octoberfest.

I think that the "lager" flavor profile is more of a function of age than storage temperature, so I say go ahead and brew it and see how it turns out.

I made an Oktoberfest with 34/70 fermented at about 58 degrees and it turned out great.