First Lager

[3 Dawg Night]

When I first started brewing, I told myself: "I'm just going to be an ale brewer. Lagers are too difficult."

Then, I got a fermentation mini-fridge, and I told myself: "Maybe I'll try a lager someday, but I'll need to get a second mini-fridge just for lagering."

Then, I read some more on lager brewing and decided I'd give it a try. I brewed a Munich Dunkel, let it ferment out in my fridge for two weeks, kegged it, and it's currently sitting on CO2 in my keezer.

Now, I'm asking myself: "What was it that you thought was going to be so hard about that?" There was really nothing more difficult than ale brewing, and it's opened up a whole new realm of possibilities in my brewing world!

 

[wepeeler]

When I first started brewing, I told myself: "I'm just going to be an ale brewer. Lagers are too difficult."

Then, I got a fermentation mini-fridge, and I told myself: "Maybe I'll try a lager someday, but I'll need to get a second mini-fridge just for lagering."

Then, I read some more on lager brewing and decided I'd give it a try. I brewed a Munich Dunkel, let it ferment out in my fridge for two weeks, kegged it, and it's currently sitting on CO2 in my keezer.

Now, I'm asking myself: "What was it that you thought was going to be so hard about that?" There was really nothing more difficult than ale brewing, and it's opened up a whole new realm of possibilities in my brewing world!

Hell yeah man. I was the same way for years. Until I got reliable temp control I skipped brewing lagers as well. But I've been on a lager kick lately. Perfect for the warming weather.

 

[Sam_92]

I know I'm going to get reamed for this but I never brewed a lager until I read the warm fermented lager thread on this forum, all forty some odd pages of it. Then I brewed a few "lagers" with saflager 34/70 at ambient temps in my basement (55-60°F) and they have been some of the best beers I've ever turned out. I'm not trying to contradict OP but saying that we need to demystify lagers a bit and more people should give them a try.

 

[seatazzz]

I know I'm going to get reamed for this but I never brewed a lager until I read the warm fermented lager thread on this forum, all forty some odd pages of it. Then I brewed a few "lagers" with saflager 34/70 at ambient temps in my basement (55-60°F) and they have been some of the best beers I've ever turned out. I'm not trying to contradict OP but saying that we need to demystify lagers a bit and more people should give them a try.

+infinity to this. I don't have the patience to ferment lagers cold, although I can; I just don't like tying up my ferment fridge for weeks when I could be using it for ales as well. The WF lagers I've brewed taste just as good as any I've done cold, and having a lager on tap in two weeks (or less, lol), is worth it.

 

[balrog]

I'll need to get a second mini-fridge just for lagering.

+infinity to this. I don't have the patience to ferment lagers cold, although I can; I just don't like tying up my ferment fridge for weeks when I could be using it for ales as well. The WF lagers I've brewed taste just as good as any I've done cold, and having a lager on tap in two weeks (or less, lol), is worth it.

In winter, I have lagering time in the hatchway area. In summer I just don't and kegs of beer sitting in the 65F basement just don't condition that well. First world problems, I know.

 

[Sammy86]

I know I'm going to get reamed for this but I never brewed a lager until I read the warm fermented lager thread on this forum, all forty some odd pages of it. Then I brewed a few "lagers" with saflager 34/70 at ambient temps in my basement (55-60°F) and they have been some of the best beers I've ever turned out. I'm not trying to contradict OP but saying that we need to demystify lagers a bit and more people should give them a try.

I was the same way...now that I split batch all my brews, one is always a lager!

 

[Sam_92]

I was the same way...now that I split batch all my brews, one is always a lager!

I love it! Also nice name! I brewed a smoked porter and had about a gallon left over so I fermented on some 34/70 that had been in the fridge for a month, I only got six bottles but it's so good I kind of regret pitching ale yeast on the big batch!

 

[Beermeister32]

Put a tap handle and C02 on the keg, you can pull test pints while it is lagering. I think most really improve by 90 days.

 

[kevin58]

I know I'm going to get reamed for this but I never brewed a lager until I read the warm fermented lager thread on this forum, all forty some odd pages of it. Then I brewed a few "lagers" with saflager 34/70 at ambient temps in my basement (55-60°F) and they have been some of the best beers I've ever turned out. I'm not trying to contradict OP but saying that we need to demystify lagers a bit and more people should give them a try.

Amen brother! I'm all about simplifying and removing stress from my brewing. Not worrying so much about temps for lagers is one of those things I've simplified. I used to have big plans for building a fermentation chamber, making lists of all the equipment I would need, yada yada yada. Then I heard about warm fermented lagers and pseudo lagers and a light bulb went off, the damn burst and now I make more lagers than I ever thought possible.

In the winter time my basement ambient temperature is close enough to use traditional lager yeasts and close enough works for me. The beer comes out beautiful. When it's warmer out I will use 34/70 and the results are great. This summer when it is hot I plan to try some of the Kveik yeasts that are reportedly suitable for warm lagers like Lutra from Omega or Oslo from Bootleg Biology.

I believe it was Denny Conn who said; if you are stressing over homebrewing you are doing it wrong.

 

[Dland]

Most of the difference between brewing ales and lagers is a matter of timing. Lagers, cool fermented anyway, take longer between fermentation steps and longer to condition. Also, temp control even more critical than ales. Other than that, the effort involved in brewing process is about the same.

High volume lager production takes a longer pipeline, but I think it is worth it. Probably not a factor for more moderate consumers, or those that augment supply with store bought beer.