cold fementing an ale.

[fluketamer]

hi my dark beers are always better than my light beers. i want to lager but dont have a temp control. this is what i want to do :

cool my wort down to my normal pitching temp of about 66-68.

rehydrate a double dose of safale 05 to around 90 and pitch.. then place it in my cold spot in my cellar which is consistantly 58 degrees.


primary 1 month then either bottle and "lager" in the same spot or bottle and lager in the fridge.

will this work

 

[STMF]

Will it work? Well, you Will get beer. There are alot of reports of US-05 throwing some peachy flavors at low temperature. Fermentis also raised the recommended temp for that yeast a while back.

Perhaps use another yeast instead, like Nottingham?

 

[schatzke]

If you have a spot with consistant 58 degree temp you can do a lager with 34/70. I have a basement with a cool area, 58 degrees, and have made several lagers with this yeast and I have been very pleased with the results.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

If you have a spot with consistant 58 degree temp you can do a lager with 34/70. I have a basement with a cool area, 58 degrees, and have made several lagers with this yeast and I have been very pleased with the results.

I'll second that. 34/70 is EXTREMELY tolerant of a wide temp range and is a very clean-fermenting lager yeast. Try it!

 

[fluketamer]

thanks for the replies
if its not too much trouble could someone give me a very breif run down of your lagering technique or a link to another thread. im going to try the 34/70 but this will be my first lager . for example after pitching yeast do you just place it in the cold spot . how long. do you use secondary. do you do a diacetyl rest. do you cold codnition in 58 or colder in fridge. . etc. thanks in advacne for any help.

 

[Brendos]

http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

this ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Makes a damn fine lager in 3 weeks

 

[Lefou]

I'm a seasonal brewer and during winter, we usually keep my house down around 58-60F.
Most of my beer are done between November and April while the ambient temps are under 70F. This last bock-style brew I'm bottling now was done with WLP029 and never went above 62F ambient.