Lager Vs. Ale

[TURBOANSARI]

Dear sir or maddam,
My question is simple but probably requires a complicated answer. Can you choose to lager or ale any recipe? I understand you typically use a recipe that ends up getting top or bottom fermented according to the style of beer you intend to make, but can you get good results lagering an ale recipe or aleing a lager recipe? Are there exceptions?

This year it is so damn hot that i built an alpine cave out of a dorm size refrigerator and an insulated wooden box. Ater intense testing, I am not sure it will sustain higher ale temperatures which was my original intention, so i am thinking of lagering a Scotch Ale recipe. Is this a problem? Can i just lager anything as long as i have the proper yeast or are there certain recipies i should stay away from?

 

[boo boo]

Make anything you like but remember that recipies were developed for a reason. They probably worked good together. The yeast malt and hops blended well to form flavours we accept as a style. Be free to develop your own.

You can lager a ale to make it cleaner but aleing a lager won't get a good result IMO.

 

[RodfatherX]

Maybe you could try and find some pacman ale yeast.......or try to culture some from a rogue bottle. I think it ferments at around 60F and is suppose to attenuate very well also.

 

[WBC]

If you like an ale and then use a lager yeast with the same malt then I do not think you would like the result when compared. Ales tend to impart more esters and give ales that charactor. When that is missing it is a whole different beer. The same can be said of lagers and that is why there are styles of beer. That's not to say you should not experiment but you will most likely have some failures before success when mixing styles. Go for it.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Several commercial/ micro breweries use lager yeast for beers like a stout. I do not think they advertise it much, but they do it. THe yeasts have different results. If you want to expiriment, then take 6 pounds of light DME and split the batch in half. ferment with 1056 and lager yeast to see the differences.

 

[Jamo99]

aleing a lager won't get a good result IMO.

I take it that you don't like steam beer?

To the OP: You can get temperature controls for your fridge so that you can maintain it at ale temperatures. here's an example

 

[Gordie]

Go for it. Mix and match the yeast and taste the difference. Better yet, split a batch and pitch lager in one and ale in the other. You might like the results or you might not but you'll certainly be a better brewer for it.