Last week, a buddy and I brewed four batches of beer. We were both out, so we went big. Three ales and a lager. Now I have a dilemma. I have the lager in the refrigerator with the temp set at 65. The three ales are on the counter in the house. The ales will be ready to bottle soon, but the lager will need a few more weeks. I need to cold crash the ales when I bottle. Will it hurt the lager to set it on the counter and let it warm up to about 72 for a couple of days?
Fermenting dilemma
- Thread starter BHebert
- Start date
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Why not make up a swamp cooler for the lager? That way you'll be able to cold-crash the ales and still keep the lager at reasonable temps.
Why is your lager at 65? Most lagers need to be in the 50's, unless you are doing a diacetyl rest.
kombat
Well-Known Member
As @CA_Mouse said, I hope 65 isn't what you fermented that lager at. But that said, if fermentation has finished, then no, it's not a problem to let it warm up for a couple of days. Indeed, it's beneficial, as it encourages the yeast to clean up after themselves, before cold-crashing the beer and lagering it for a few weeks while it clears up.
Why do you "need" to cold crash your beers before you bottle. Are you trying to bottle as soon as possible? Got a time crunch? My beers never get cold crashed. They get to sit in the fermenter for 3 to 4 weeks and then in bottles until they are ready to drink and by then they are clear with little yeast on the bottom of the bottle.
