Hi there
I use the top part (freezer) of my brew fridge to finish off lagering my lager at 5c, which brings the lower part of the fridge (tested with water in fermenter) to 16c (slightly lighting up the 18c as well on the sticker gauge) my experience of brewing ales at 17-18c produces wonderful beer (the first three weeks the lagers are brewed at 12c and then racked into another barrel). Is 16c too low for ales? Time is not an issue as I can get 4 barrels in the bottom part of the fridge and two to lager in the top, and I am a driver away most weeks and I let the ales brew for 3-4 weeks anyway. I like to set and forget. But seeing the lager is in there for about 3-4 at weeks at 5c I would like to keep brewing ales in the bottom in that time.
And,secondly, my kegs are naturally conditioned and I have had some issues pouring with pressures etc. Some of the forums state you need 12psi for ales, but I only have short lines as the hbs guy said it was all I needed for naturally conditioned beer - and 1psi is too much for it - the beer basically pours itself beautifully without any gas (took me weeks to work this out) and with perfect carbonation just with a tiny bit of added pressure now and then for pouring, at 10-12 psi comes out frothy, flat and blows a hole through the bottom of your glass.I needed to drop fridge temp to minus 5 to get it flowing good, and without any gas even, it seems to be still conditioning even in the fridge and building enough pressure to pour. However, how much pressure should I leave on the beer when I am away to retain that perfect level of carbonation?
Thanks
I use the top part (freezer) of my brew fridge to finish off lagering my lager at 5c, which brings the lower part of the fridge (tested with water in fermenter) to 16c (slightly lighting up the 18c as well on the sticker gauge) my experience of brewing ales at 17-18c produces wonderful beer (the first three weeks the lagers are brewed at 12c and then racked into another barrel). Is 16c too low for ales? Time is not an issue as I can get 4 barrels in the bottom part of the fridge and two to lager in the top, and I am a driver away most weeks and I let the ales brew for 3-4 weeks anyway. I like to set and forget. But seeing the lager is in there for about 3-4 at weeks at 5c I would like to keep brewing ales in the bottom in that time.
And,secondly, my kegs are naturally conditioned and I have had some issues pouring with pressures etc. Some of the forums state you need 12psi for ales, but I only have short lines as the hbs guy said it was all I needed for naturally conditioned beer - and 1psi is too much for it - the beer basically pours itself beautifully without any gas (took me weeks to work this out) and with perfect carbonation just with a tiny bit of added pressure now and then for pouring, at 10-12 psi comes out frothy, flat and blows a hole through the bottom of your glass.I needed to drop fridge temp to minus 5 to get it flowing good, and without any gas even, it seems to be still conditioning even in the fridge and building enough pressure to pour. However, how much pressure should I leave on the beer when I am away to retain that perfect level of carbonation?
Thanks
