lager

[mmm beer]

What would happen if i didnt ferment a lager properly? If it was a little warmer or a little colder for periods of time, would it be bad or is is still good beer but without the full lager.

 

[Mishkin]

If it was a little warmer than proper lager temperatures then you'd have a steam beer or california common beer. On the cold side though, it depends how cold. Most lager yeasts can go down to about 8 degrees celcius. Any lower than that and it starts to stunt the growth of the yeast. It's mainly on the warmer side that you wont achieve a true lager flavour.

 

[mmm beer]

that is nice to know, I have my last kit and want to do some brewing, as long as im still going to get good beer

 

[homebrewer_99]

Yes, brewing a lager at warmer temps "should" produce a steam beer.

 

[mmm beer]

its not going to be t much warmer. I am more worried about to much cooler. before I need to heat. my garage gets to about 55 by the early afternoon.

 

[the_bird]

One thing to consider, if fermenting in a garage, would be that you don't want wide variations in temps. You might consider putting the fermenter in a big water bath, even if the water itself was still 55 degrees. You could then start adding jugs of ice when it comes time to *really* lager the beer, to get the temp into the 30s or low 40s.

 

[mmm beer]

cooling is easy I do have a beer fridge its just the fluctuations right now. the water idea is good because I could monitor it easily.

 

[boo boo]

Fermenting lager yeast (not cali common) at warmer temps will give you a fruitier beer than what a 'real" lager calls for. I'm told you will get more fusel alcohols and esters produced which may end up in your finished brew.
If you don't have the capacity to lager properly, then why not just use the california steam yeast strain which ferments at a warmer temperture?

 

[clayof2day]

Also, I think 50-55 is a pretty common temp. for most lager yeasts, no? I don't think that would be too hot if thats as hot as you're getting. I do agree with the water bath, a nice thermal buffer, it should keep things realtively constant