My first lager

[nukebrewer]

How much leeway is there in fermenting a lager in regards to temperature? I don't currently have a way to ferment at most lager yeasts' optimum fermentation temperature, but I do possess the ability to lager at a nice cold temperature. Will it hurt anything to ferment at ale temps and then lager at 40 F or should I suck it up and wait until I can ferment a lager properly? I really want to brew a lager, but I don't want to screw it up just cause I don't feel like I can wait. Thanks.

-AJ

 

[BigEd]

Fermenting at the proper temperature is what a lager is all about. So the blunt answer to your question is you cannot do a lager if you can't provide conditions that will allow fermentation at low temps, typically 48-55F. Fermenting at ale temperatures is going to create an ale, even with a lager yeast since at ale temperatures you will have the distinct possibility of creating ale-like esters. What you need to do is determine what are the actual fermentation temperatures you can manage. Then check the White Labs and Wyeast websites and find the cleanest ale yeast that will work well under those conditions. Also check the "Steam Beer" yeast sold as either California Lager or San Francisco lager which is the Anchor Brewery strain of higher temperature lager yeast.

 

[nukebrewer]

I thought so, thanks for the quick reply. The reason I asked in the first place is because I have heard of a lager being accidentally fermented at a very high temp and still coming out good. I will look into the yeast strains you mentioned. Thanks.

-AJ

[EDIT]BTW, are there any lager yeast strains that will ferment at 40 F? 'Cause then I could just stick the fermenter in my kegerator for a couple months.[/EDIT]