Black lager question...

[deathtractor]

I have a recipe for a sam Adams black lager clone. The recipe calls for conditioning at 51 degrees. I don't have the means to condition at tempertures below like 62 degrees. My question is... Should I ditch the lager yeast that the recipe calls for(saflager # 23) and go with an ale yeast instead?

 

[EoinMag]

If you use ale yeast you'll be making a stout or a porter no?

 

[944play]

If you can lager (at fridge temp, like 33-40ºF) but can't maintain 50, maybe go for a Steam yeast. IMO no ale yeast makes that signature, hard-to-explain "hole in the palate" that lagers have, but a well-fermented ale beats a crappy lager eight ways to Saturday.

 

[Justibone]

... a well-fermented ale beats a crappy lager eight ways to Saturday.

+100

10 char limit

 

[deathtractor]

bump...sorry looking to buy a new yeast today...any suggestions?

 

[android]

like said above, try the steam beer yeast (WY2112) or even american ale (WY1056) fermented low will give you a very clean beer. nothing wrong with a black ale. you could also try kolsch yeast (WY2565), there are white labs equivalents for all of those if that's what you can get locally.

 

[deathtractor]

This steam beer yeast sounds interesting. Could anyone elaborate on what kind of qualitys this yeast will give my beer?

 

[storunner13]

It'll throw fewer fruity esters in general and give a flavor that's closer to a lager. If you're using a liquid yeast you'll want a starter, or 2 packages of the yeast.

Also, Danstar's Nottingham if fermented cool won't give too many esters either, and it's a cheap (but great) dry yeast.

 

[Teromous]

a well-fermented ale beats a crappy lager eight ways to Saturday.

I think one of the attractions people have to crafting lagers is that they're not as common in the homebrewing community. Being that not everyone can keep the low temperatures required, it poses a challenge that most people would welcome.