Vienna lager/ale

[NickThoR]

One of my favorite commercial beers is dos equis amber, so i was thinking i would try a 1.5 gallon batch of revvy's vienna lager. However I have never done a lager i have no real lagering equipment so i was thinking of pitching some washed yeast from a batch of wheat bear I have going right now that is using US-05.

I plan on fermenting at the cooler end of the strain and try to get a clean a flavor as i could, then maybe secondary in the fridge? Would that help in a pseudo lager situation?

(Then I would probably 'keg' in a 3 liter with a carbonator cap because my single lonely keg will be full of wheat beer)

Any suggestions on how to get closer to a lager without having temp control other than a standard fridge?

 

[NickThoR]

As i finish posting this... I realize this should probably be in the general technique forum...... Ill repost it there.

 

[SpeedYellow]

People say Dos Equis is a Vienna lager, but that's bunk. It's merely Budweiser with some dark malt for color. Make an all-Vienna malt beer and you'll find it's much better and nothing like Dos Equis. I only say this because if you really want to emulate Dos Equis, making a Vienna lager would be barking up the wrong tree. Vienna is a great style - enjoy!

 

[LymanBrewing]

Any suggestions on how to get closer to a lager without having temp control other than a standard fridge?

You might be able to still use lager yeast. Can you take the temperature of your fridge? I just finished a Vienna Lager and the fermentation temp is right at 45 degrees; which should be well within the range of most refrigerators.

I have the ability to control temp, so I was able to do a diacetyl rest, but according to Jamil it may not even be necessary if you pitch cold enough.

My .02

 

[Beernik]

People say Dos Equis is a Vienna lager, but that's bunk. It's merely Budweiser with some dark malt for color. Make an all-Vienna malt beer and you'll find it's much better and nothing like Dos Equis. I only say this because if you really want to emulate Dos Equis, making a Vienna lager would be barking up the wrong tree. Vienna is a great style - enjoy!

Two parts:
1) Dos Equis is a Vienna in the sense that it's a Mexican lager and Mexican lagers have their roots in Vienna lagers.
2) Revvy's Vienna is kind of a cross between Dos Equis and Negra Modelo. And it has 8lbs of Vienna malt instead of using Pilsner with Vienna accents.


Onto the OP's question. I doubt it would quite be lager like with
US-05. A hybrid yeast like Kolsch might be a better option for fermenting in the mid-50s.

 

[LymanBrewing]

...Onto the OP's question. I doubt it would quite be lager like with US-05. A hybrid yeast like Kolsch might be a better option for fermenting in the mid-50s.

Well received Miller Lite clone using US-05.