Lager to ale?

[Smburnette]

I have brewed a few batches of mr beer and decided to upgrade to the real deal.. I purchased air locks, carboys, etc.. For the ingredients, I got American lager from the home brewery.. I realize now that I am not set up to ferment cool temperatures.. Can I simply change to a different yeast and be good to go as an ale, or have I a kit that I simply can not use??

 

[Wakadaka]

Definitely would need a different yeast, but other than that I think it will turn out fine. A lot of new brewers make that mistake, and if you search around you can read about what other people have done.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/whoops-bought-lager-recipe-but-cant-lager-79000/

there is one thread but there are several more talking about similar things, and you can see what they have done, to see what yeast you want to use.

 

[Yooper]

I'd get a "clean" ale yeast, and ferment it as cool as possible. You could try nottingham, and ferment it in the low 60s if possible. That will make it "lagerlike" with a nice crisp finish.

 

[rycov]

i did this with a maibock a month or two ago. i used nottingham, actually i think it was yoopers suggestion. anyway, its delicious. definitely use ale yeast if you can't get to lager temps

 

[ENS]

I have heard european ale by white labs is a clean yeast. You can also brew a steam lager, like anchor steam and use San Francisco lager yeast.

What is the brand of the kit? IF it is brewer's best, the yeast they give will still work at warmer temps, but get it as cold as you can get it.

My first beer was a brewer's best oktoberfest and I did exactly what you did, but I used the provided yeast and kept the beer in the low 60s, around 63 I think and it turned out pretty good.

Getting another yeast for ales will probably improve your beer though.

 

[Smburnette]

It is a "the home brewery" kit, from ozark Missouri. An amazon.com kit. The yeast is saflager s-23...

 

[RugerRedhawk]

Austin home brew says that their oktoberfest kit comes out better with lager yeast even at warmer temps than it does with ale yeast. Just get it as cool as you can and keep it consistent. Some put the fermenter in a tub with ice water and a towel over the top. Just have to refresh the ice once and a while and watch the temps.

It couldn't hurt to call the place who sells the kit and ask their experience. I'm sure you aren't the first to ask them: http://www.homebrewery.com/co_info.shtml

 

[ENS]

the temp rage is 50-57. how cool do you think you can get your beer? You could go to walmart or target and get a big plastic tub and put the carboy in there and give it an ice bath. you'd have to babysit it a little more to make sure the temp is steady, with in 3 degrees. keep a thermometer in the bath and keep feeding the bath ice.

 

[Smburnette]

Just called and spoke with the people at The Home Brewery. He said that it would ferment fine at room temperature with the supplied yeast. He told me that the included yeast works at room temperature, but it CAN be used at lower temps. He said that they have made the American Lager kit at room temperature and it turned out good with a nice lager taste...