lager without a fridge control?
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You can definitely lager in a fridge, no problem. When I lager, I keep the beer at 34 degrees for about 8 weeks, which is easy in a fridge. The issue with lagers is the fermentation temperature- the lager yeasts like to be in the 46-52 degree area (more or less, depending on yeast type, but 50 degrees is about right for all of them). Less than about 45, and they won't ferment so that's why a fridge without a temperature controller won't work for fermentation. Lagers take 2-4 weeks in primary and then the rest of the time is secondary/lagering time.
I primary for about 2 weeks at 50 degrees, and then taste for diacetyl. If I detect diacetyl when fermentation is about 75% finished, then I do the diacetyl rest for 24-48 hours in the low-mid 60s. If I don't detect diacetyl (and I usually don't need a d-rest, since I pitch cold and many yeasts dont' produce much diacetyl), then I rack to secondary and begin lowering the temperature 5 degrees per day until I am at 34 degrees. Those temperatures are why many people use a fridge or freezer with a temperature controller.
I'm lucky, I guess- my basement is 49 degrees in the winter, so I can do this in my basement and then use a cooler and ice and water (I made a new lid for the cooler, so just the airlock pokes out) to bring down the temperature 5 degrees per day and then lager it for as long as 12 weeks if I want- just by changing the frozen water bottles every few days.
Temperature control is pretty critical with lagers, so many people just go ahead and use the fridge and controller.
I primary for about 2 weeks at 50 degrees, and then taste for diacetyl. If I detect diacetyl when fermentation is about 75% finished, then I do the diacetyl rest for 24-48 hours in the low-mid 60s. If I don't detect diacetyl (and I usually don't need a d-rest, since I pitch cold and many yeasts dont' produce much diacetyl), then I rack to secondary and begin lowering the temperature 5 degrees per day until I am at 34 degrees. Those temperatures are why many people use a fridge or freezer with a temperature controller.
I'm lucky, I guess- my basement is 49 degrees in the winter, so I can do this in my basement and then use a cooler and ice and water (I made a new lid for the cooler, so just the airlock pokes out) to bring down the temperature 5 degrees per day and then lager it for as long as 12 weeks if I want- just by changing the frozen water bottles every few days.
Temperature control is pretty critical with lagers, so many people just go ahead and use the fridge and controller.
carl spakler
Well-Known Member
I made a batch of lager w/o an external temp controller. If I set the fridge temp to the warmest setting it settled in at ~48-50 degrees, perfect temp for lager fermentation.
Give it a shot w/o the controller, IME it is an unnecessary expense.
Give it a shot w/o the controller, IME it is an unnecessary expense.
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