Lagers cool or not to cool?

[kiwiguy]

Hi

I have my ale in the fermenter at present after 18 days its about ready to bottle. My question is as its a lager once its bottled do i store it somewhere cool. I keep reading conflicting answers

Cheers Phil

 

[android]

well, if you are going to bottle it, i would let it carbonate for 3 weeks at room temp and then if you have a place to lager (cold age) it, do so then.

 

[lumpher]

put it in the fridge and leave it as long as you can stand

 

[jhbarc]

Hi

I have my ale in the fermenter at present after 18 days its about ready to bottle. My question is as its a lager once its bottled do i store it somewhere cool. I keep reading conflicting answers

Cheers Phil

Ale or Lager?

 

[weirdboy]

Yeah it cannot be both an ale and a lager.

What exact yeast did you pitch?

 

[kiwiguy]

Ale or Lager?

sorry its a lager .. i was meaning ale in the sense of liquid

 

[bgrayson726]

Yeah it cannot be both an ale and a lager.

What is steam beer then?

 

[weirdboy]

What is steam beer then?

It is a way for a smart alec to confuse a new brewer.

Instead of thinking up special cases, let's focus on the problem at hand.

What yeast was actually pitched?
What temperature was it fermented at?
Have you done a diacetyl rest?
What was the original gravity, and what is the gravity now?
I have had lagers take a lot longer than 18 days to reach final gravity, so I would be hesitant to bottle at this point without some assurance that it was actually finished fermenting.

 

[davesrose]

What is steam beer then?

It's officially considered a hybrid: it's fermented inbetween ale and lager temps. This whole thread has me confused....a genuine lager starts at the fermentation stage (which ferments colder then an ale). It is then conditioned way colder then an ale. Since it appears neither of these were observed, we can only hope the yeast that was used can accept whatever temps the "beer" was fermented at.

I have had lagers take a lot longer than 18 days to reach final gravity, so I would be hesitant to bottle at this point without some assurance that it was actually finished fermenting.

Normally I'd agree with this....but chances are the beer fermented out way too quickly and with too many esters if it was a lager yeast being fermented at ale temps. Then again, aging and lagering is the only hope if you're trying to get something resembling a hybrid ale.

 

[bgrayson726]

It is a way for a smart alec to confuse a new brewer.

Instead of thinking up special cases, let's focus on the problem at hand.

What yeast was actually pitched?
What temperature was it fermented at?
Have you done a diacetyl rest?
What was the original gravity, and what is the gravity now?
I have had lagers take a lot longer than 18 days to reach final gravity, so I would be hesitant to bottle at this point without some assurance that it was actually finished fermenting.

I apologize if I sounded like a smart alec, I was just trying to say that "yes, there is both an ale and a lager hybrid."

 

[twheelz]

It may be the Cooper's Lager kit. It includes ale yeast and the instructions state to ferment at ale temps. It's a bit confusing, to say the least.

 

[PolishStout]

It may be the Cooper's Lager kit. It includes ale yeast and the instructions state to ferment at ale temps. It's a bit confusing, to say the least.

I agree! my current first batch is a Muntons Bock kit which uses ale yeast, though every home made bock recipe I've found treats it as a lager and uses lager yeast and temps. definitely got me freaking out for a second

 

[Hang Glider]

Yep, lots of folks, including instruction writers and kit assemblers and the state of Texas confuse the two.

Kiwi - lager (to store, German)

but also -
Lager Yeast - makes Lagers. Ferment at 48F, diacetyl rest, lager for 3-6 weeks at low temps (40s & 30's F) - overall a slow and cool process

Ale Yeast - makes Ales. Ferment at 65F, condition for 2-4 weeks, bottle.

 

[jhbarc]

It's officially considered a hybrid: it's fermented inbetween ale and lager temps. This whole thread has me confused....a genuine lager starts at the fermentation stage (which ferments colder then an ale). It is then conditioned way colder then an ale. Since it appears neither of these were observed, we can only hope the yeast that was used can accept whatever temps the "beer" was fermented at.



Normally I'd agree with this....but chances are the beer fermented out way too quickly and with too many esters if it was a lager yeast being fermented at ale temps. Then again, aging and lagering is the only hope if you're trying to get something resembling a hybrid ale.

This is what I was thinking if the beer in question is a lager using lager yeast the "Cooling" should begin prior to pitching of the yeast not at bottling time.