Having problems brewing ales in contrast to lagers

[mentaculusbrewworks]

I don't know where to post this, but there is a sharp contrast with the ales and lagers that I make.

The lagers that I make always come out perfect. The flavors are spot on and the fermentation and carbonation are strong. But I have always had problems with brewing ale. the flavor is hard to describe, but every one of them has the same distinctive lemony-citrus taste to it. The fermentation and carbonation are always weak. This happens to every ale I make no matter what yeast or ingredients I use.

Has anyone else had this problem before? If so what would the solution be?

 

[BigEd]

Recipes? Procedures?

 

[chickypad]

Like BigEd said we need a little more to go on - example recipe including yeast, pitch rates, fermentation schedule and temps, etc. Most folks have the opposite problem, i.e. trouble with lagers because they can't ferment cool enough. Maybe you're trying to ferment your ales too cold?

 

[mentaculusbrewworks]

In terms of schedule, I brew my beer two weeks in the primary and another two in the secondary. Since we are talking about ale, I leave it at room temperature. It doesn't matter what yeast or recipe I use. I get the same off flavor and they all barely carbonate every time I make an ale.

 

[jtratcliff]

What's room temp? Even ales do best when temps are controlled. Depending on the type of ale and yeast strain, low to mid 60s F is the sweet spot. Room temp (70s?) may be too warm.

 

[ballandkeg]

Totally agree with the temperature comment. Most ale yeasts like it in the mid 60's as well. Try a batch at controlled temp and see how that goes. Cheers

 

[mentaculusbrewworks]

I can control the temperature of a lager by putting the whole thing in my fridge. But how do you expect me to control the temperature of an ale?

 

[chickypad]

Swamp cooler, temp controller for your fridge or ferment chamber to name a few. Lack of temp control is one of the biggest sources of off flavors and sub optimal beer around, applies to ales as well as lagers.

https://byo.com/bock/item/1869-controlling-fermentation-temperature-techniques

http://learn.kegerator.com/temperature-control/

 

[agrazela]

N/m

 

[agrazela]

EDIT, N/M, answered question as to how you're keeping lagers cool

EDIT 2: forgive double post, new forum software does not like me.

 

[kh54s10]

I can control the temperature of a lager by putting the whole thing in my fridge. But how do you expect me to control the temperature of an ale?

If you are truly controlling the temperature of your Lagers correctly, you would do the same thing with the ales only warmer. The instead of lowering the temperature for the lagering phase, you would leave it the same or warm it up a little.

I ferment my ales in the mid sixties (usually) then sometimes I take it out of my fermentation chamber for a day or three, then package.

You might need a temperature controller to keep the right temperature.

With lagers, most will ferment near 50 degrees then lager by lowering the temperature over a period of a couple of weeks to just above freezing. You need a controller to do this.

 

[Yooper]

I can control the temperature of a lager by putting the whole thing in my fridge. But how do you expect me to control the temperature of an ale?

Lagers ferment at 50 degrees, plus or minus a couple of degrees. Usually, a temperature controller is needed to hold that temperature. Ales ferment at 64-68 degrees, and the same temperature controller is used to hold that temperature.

If you're fermenting ales at "room temperature", unless your room is 62 degrees or so, it's too warm and that would explain the off-flavor.

As was mentioned, swamp coolers work well. I use an Ice Cube cooler, and made a new lid (that one wasn't insulated), and poked a hole in the foam insulation of that lid I made. I filled it with water, up to the level of the beer, and put a couple of frozen water bottles in there. I changed them out once a day, and it held a perfect 66 degrees the whole time.

 

[alweisenberger]

Main solution may be to do a yeast starter to pitch healthy active yeast. I ferment my IPAs at a controlled 70 degrees after a 1L starter (100g DME, 36-48 hours on stir plate, cool for 12 hours in fridge to settle yeast and decant) of WLP001, primary for 14 days (active fermentation pretty much done after 7 days, dry hop for the last 5 days of the 14 day primary), straight to keg at 40 degrees, 11-12 PSI for 7 days, ready to drink after 21 days from brew date. Works every time for me, super fresh and tasty IPA!

 

[mentaculusbrewworks]

I think the swamp cooler method would work best for me. Besides that, does anyone know if I could set my refrigerator to ale temperatures?

 

[Yooper]

I think the swamp cooler method would work best for me. Besides that, does anyone know if I could set my refrigerator to ale temperatures?

With a temperature controller, yes. Without one, no.

How do you maintain 50 degrees for lagers? Does your highest fridge setting get up that high?

 

[mentaculusbrewworks]

I'm not sure how cold I fermented my lagers in my fridge. All I know is I would put them in my fridge and the lagers all came out great. Regardless, if a temperature controller can keep my refrigerator at ale temperatures, than that's what I should do.

 

[kh54s10]

Look into temperature control for both your ales and lagers. Both will benefit. Your lagers might be even better.

I started with a swamp cooler, then made a fermentation chamber for ales, then bought a chest freezer for lagers.