Munich Helles as an ale?

[Ryan80]

Hi all! I purchased my second ever beer kit today. It is the Munich Helles by Brewers Best. I didn't notice until I got home that this is a lager. It does say however that this can be done as an ale if you lack a chiller for lagering like I do. My question is, being the complete noob that I am, what if anything will I be sacraficing by fermenting this as an ale? I wonder if I should try a diffrent kit instead for my second batch. Thanks for the input!
Ryan

 

[ErieShores]

I have done a helles using Wyeast Kölsch, it turned out great. The only problem was that it didn't hit it's stride for a few months.

 

[carrolte]

same yeast?

 

[ErieShores]

^You talkin' to me?

 

[swampfox]

i have found myself wondering this too... i realy want to do a helles but i just dont have the space available to lager till we buy a house and i can build my brewery

 

[944play]

The metabolic pathways that lager strains have and ale strains lack are enough to make a significant mouthfeel difference to me. If you want to brew a Blonde Ale, by all means ferment a Helles wort with an ale yeast and you'll get a nice beer, but it won't be a Munich lager.

If you lack temp control, don't think that using ale yeast absolves you. Clean ferments need to be stabilized thermally no matter what strain you use.

 

[MrWildcat2U]

I just kegged the same kit. I've sampled the pre-carbed beer and like it. I fermented mine in an old fridge at 51deg.

 

[Ryan80]

Thanks everybody. The kit came with a lager yeast the they say "will do well at ale temperatures". I just wanted to make sure I wasn't setting myself up for failure.

 

[Andyoesq]

Ryan,
I have the same issue. I hope you are still on the boards. How did it come out?