My lager has been kept cold for the last 2+ weeks now by using first the cold weather (30s) and then by putting the carboy in a doubled up garbage can with a lid, and using ice bottles to keep it cold. This works OK until it gets warm outside, 60s this coming week, and then I can't keep up with the melting ice. I want to move on with this process.
I was thinking I could manage better with the beer in the bottles, putting some in the fridge and some in a cooler. My question is how to go about this.
Should I bottle, with a corn sugar primer, and let the yeast carbonate at a warm temp? or should I keep it a cool 50-54, or should I keep it a cold 32-40? What should take precedence, the need to carbonate or the need to lager? Should I bottle at all or should I wait it out? I'm not in a rush, I just have a hard time keeping the temps down.
I was thinking I could manage better with the beer in the bottles, putting some in the fridge and some in a cooler. My question is how to go about this.
Should I bottle, with a corn sugar primer, and let the yeast carbonate at a warm temp? or should I keep it a cool 50-54, or should I keep it a cold 32-40? What should take precedence, the need to carbonate or the need to lager? Should I bottle at all or should I wait it out? I'm not in a rush, I just have a hard time keeping the temps down.