I've been drinking Ales for years and years before I ever started brewing. I never really cared for commercial Lagers, even the craft brewed ones. But, I kind of want to try my hand at making some of my own now for some odd reason. 
Why Bother Brewing with Lager Yeast?
- Thread starter MuddyMo
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
OP
OP
MuddyMo
Well-Known Member
Northcalais40
Well-Known Member
To answer the original question from my perspective, because my basement is at 50F until mid April. My lovely wife would consider a bubbly fermenter in our pantry to be an imposition.
My guess is that once upon a time a brewer found his brewing spot to be a bit on the cold side, found that his beer was coming out pretty good. Maybe it had a slightly different flavor than the others around. Someone thought "hey lets make this again".
I'm glad that they didn't say "hey lets make our beer exactly the same as everyone else"
Why not pick any beer ingredient at random and say, "why does anyone use crystal malt, I make my Blahdy blah imperial 400ibu without it, its time the rest of you slobs fell in line"
My guess is that once upon a time a brewer found his brewing spot to be a bit on the cold side, found that his beer was coming out pretty good. Maybe it had a slightly different flavor than the others around. Someone thought "hey lets make this again".
I'm glad that they didn't say "hey lets make our beer exactly the same as everyone else"
Why not pick any beer ingredient at random and say, "why does anyone use crystal malt, I make my Blahdy blah imperial 400ibu without it, its time the rest of you slobs fell in line"
You know, the answer to "Why bother brewing with lager yeast?" might be another question- "Why bother brewing at all?"
I mean, you can buy craft beers, so why brew? I can buy good beer at the store, so why should I brew?
The answer is the same as why I bother brewing lagers. Because I'm a beer geek who can make whatever I want, when I want. There ARE differences in all beers, and tasting them is part of the fun. I can tell Miller from Budweiser, and I can certainly tell a true lager dopplebock over a pseudo-bock. Is a pseudo-lager bad? No, but it's NOT the same. Some people love lagers and make mostly lager styles, while other make only ales. Nothing wrong with that at all, as I think everybody should make what they like.
To dismiss an entire category of beers is silly, though.
I mean, you can buy craft beers, so why brew? I can buy good beer at the store, so why should I brew?
The answer is the same as why I bother brewing lagers. Because I'm a beer geek who can make whatever I want, when I want. There ARE differences in all beers, and tasting them is part of the fun. I can tell Miller from Budweiser, and I can certainly tell a true lager dopplebock over a pseudo-bock. Is a pseudo-lager bad? No, but it's NOT the same. Some people love lagers and make mostly lager styles, while other make only ales. Nothing wrong with that at all, as I think everybody should make what they like.
To dismiss an entire category of beers is silly, though.
Shinglejohn
Well-Known Member
[Is]there is a compelling reason to consider home brewing with lager yeast[?]
1)Schwarzbier, Altbier, Marzen and Bock styles, all very flavorful beers traditionally brewed using S. pastorianus.
2) it might be a challenge to duplicate the flavor of Anchor Steam
3)I'm a geek about brewing equipment and love to research brewing chemistry and the history of various styles.
1)Schwarzbier, Altbier, Marzen and Bock styles, all very flavorful beers traditionally brewed using S. pastorianus.
2) it might be a challenge to duplicate the flavor of Anchor Steam
3)I'm a geek about brewing equipment and love to research brewing chemistry and the history of various styles.
OP
OP
MuddyMo
Well-Known Member
r2eng
Well-Known Member
May I add another point:
Try a proven Porter recipe: split it and use ale yeast in one half (fermented at ales temps), and use a lager yeast in the other half (again, fermented at the proper temps). Compare them and you will clearly see the difference.
And, as many others have said here, experimentation is the whole reason for homebrewing. I have a current experiment fermenting with 1/3 batches: I took a blonde ale recipe and used lager yeast in one, ale in another (WLP001), and Belgian yeast in the other (WLP515). I will end up with 3 completely different beers.
Try a proven Porter recipe: split it and use ale yeast in one half (fermented at ales temps), and use a lager yeast in the other half (again, fermented at the proper temps). Compare them and you will clearly see the difference.
And, as many others have said here, experimentation is the whole reason for homebrewing. I have a current experiment fermenting with 1/3 batches: I took a blonde ale recipe and used lager yeast in one, ale in another (WLP001), and Belgian yeast in the other (WLP515). I will end up with 3 completely different beers.
ghpeel
Well-Known Member
I've made a very nice sorta-Negra Modelo clone using White Labs Kolsch yeast.
However, I just finished my first keg of lager, a pure Pilsner, and let me tell you, it was heaven in a glass. You get a fantastic crispness with a real lager that a "clean ale" probably won't ever produce. I can't wait to brew another one and I never enjoy BMC beer anymore.
However, I just finished my first keg of lager, a pure Pilsner, and let me tell you, it was heaven in a glass. You get a fantastic crispness with a real lager that a "clean ale" probably won't ever produce. I can't wait to brew another one and I never enjoy BMC beer anymore.
jitteringjr
Well-Known Member
Exactly.
Unless you started home brewing in the early 1980's, that's a silly reason to start the hobby as there are thousands of commercial alternatives out there now.
I use lager yeast about 35% of the time. I am now drinking an Imperial (Baltic) Porter that I brewed using bock yeast that is outstanding. I tried making bocks with ale yeast and after 5 years, I bought a fermentation fridge and it made all the difference. Even with ales the fridge makes a big difference. Try a secondary fermentation as 50F and taste the difference
CaptYesterday
Well-Known Member
For the challenge.
I've been doing ales for 3 years. They have become almost easy. Lagers are that final frontier I haven't conquered yet.
BCS Bohemian Pilsner fermenting as we speak with Wyeast 2124. I feel pretty good about it so far.
I've been doing ales for 3 years. They have become almost easy. Lagers are that final frontier I haven't conquered yet.
BCS Bohemian Pilsner fermenting as we speak with Wyeast 2124. I feel pretty good about it so far.
HoppedIPA
Well-Known Member
Boulevards Pils is to compete with Bud Miller and the like that is why it is $5.99 a 6 pack.... Have you Tried their smoke stack series Imperial pils??
HoppedIPA
Well-Known Member
I would say while not a huge Sam Adams fan the Noble Pils was or is one of their best seasonal beers..! Boulevards is not even close..
rodneypierce
Well-Known Member
I have honestly yet to find a single Boulevard beer that I have liked...
Prima pils is excellent. Victory can't seem to miss.
HoppedIPA
Well-Known Member
I like a few BLVD beers their Tank7, Single Wide IPA, I have enjoyed the Dark Truth, I really enjoy their Irish ale and most recently this one..
http://www.beercankc.com/2010/11/winter-seasonals-part-4.html... so not sure what you have tried maybe all of these but either way its all good... I dont care for their wheat.. Only wheat i really like i have had is Goose island's which is a very clean wheat.. I like their pils better than bud but thats not saying much..lol
so .. Cheers!
http://www.beercankc.com/2010/11/winter-seasonals-part-4.html... so not sure what you have tried maybe all of these but either way its all good... I dont care for their wheat.. Only wheat i really like i have had is Goose island's which is a very clean wheat.. I like their pils better than bud but thats not saying much..lol
so .. Cheers!
rodneypierce
Well-Known Member
I have tried them all, and cant say I like a single one of their beers. I guess the Amber Ale was "ok". But, thats why we have so many different beer brewery's. Everyone likes something different.
HoppedIPA
Well-Known Member
thats funny.. actually their Amber is one of my lease favorite of theirs.. Agreed with the everyone likes something different!
Agreed with the everyone likes something different!I have tried them all, and cant say I like a single one of their beers. I guess the Amber Ale was "ok". But, thats why we have so many different beer brewery's. Everyone likes something different.
