What is the highest I could ferment a Dortmunder?

[Beer Viking]

I really want to make a Dortmunder for my first all grain batch, but I don't have a freezer with a temperature control yet. Are there any traditional yeasts I can use that I can ferment at around 65? Would I be able to swap the yeast out and replace it with a lager yeast that likes it hotter without ruining the Dortmunder taste?

 

[McKnuckle]

The short answer is “not really,” but various people have success using W-34/70 in the 60°F range. There’s an enormous warm fermented lagers thread if you search for that title.

 

[Beer Viking]

Thanks, that's what I thought. I'm really getting into brewing so I think by the time the summer comes I'll have a freezer with a temperature control. I was just wondering how high I can ferment a lager yeast that would work in a Dortmunder.

 

[McKnuckle]

The good thing is it’s winter. That is, of course, depending where you live. Is there not a relatively stable place where you could leverage ambient temps to ferment in the 50s or even high 40s?

 

[Beer Viking]

I can defiantly ferment at around 50, but probably only for 3 months out of the year. So it's either I get a freezer or I switch to Kolschs for most of the year as I prefer the lighter beers.

 

[Miraculix]

Try Omega lutra. I just bottled one beer fermented at room temperature, tasted like a lager to me. Let's see how it does when carbonated but so far it looks really promising.

 

[giraffe]

Not really, but there are some options that will get you close until you can get temp control for a proper lager.

34/70 warm: People say it works, its the best bet for an actual lager yeast It sometimes takes forever to clear though, you may need to use finings to get the yeast to drop out. The ones ive tried using this, I didnt really like, but I personally dont like this strain much for lagers without filtering. Theres a weird yeast bite thats hard to describe. It is very popular though, so this is likely just my pallette.

Omega lutra: I tried a psuedo lager made with it at a homebrew club meeting. I didnt really think it was lager like, but it was very very clean. Can ferment pretty warm, and forgiving.

Alt yeast fermented cool. Can throw a bit of esters but can leave a faint background sulfur note which some lagers have.

US-05 fermented cool. People say this, but theres always a tell tale peach/apricot background ester... it just tastes like us-05. That said it is pretty clean and if you dont mind it being somewhere between a dortmunder and an american blonde ale.

 

[Beer Viking]

Omega lutra

I've never heard of this stuff is it a lager yeast and where can I get it?

 

[Miraculix]

I've never heard of this stuff is it a lager yeast and where can I get it?

It is a kveik but it tastes like a lager. You can ferment it at temperatures up to body temperature without getting off flavours or fusels. You can buy it at every seller who sells omega yeast.

 

[RePete]

If memory serves, the top temperature range for 34/70 is in the low 70’s. 72*?
I’ve done a bunch of batches using it in the last 6 months. Once I figured out to pitch 2 packs of dry yeast instead of 1, it worked great. I just sat the fermenter on the basement floor.