Cheater Lager - Yeast Choice?

[pirateagenda]

Hi guys, have 3 kegs of pale ales almost ready to go so wanting to do some pils or lager style beers for a change, however i'm not super keen on tying up my fermentor fridge for 4 weeks to lager, as I need to also get some more beer done for a party in march.

So to compromise i'm planning on doing a couple of batches of pils base using an ale yeast fermented around 17C to speed things up. I know it won't be a real lager, but hoping to get a nice clear easy drinking beer to go alongside my hoppier APA's.

Thinking Danstar Nottingham for the yeast choice first up, as i know it clears out fast and can be used at lower temps. Would you think this is a good choice or are there more suitable yeasts for cheater lagers.

Cheers

 

[Sunshine_Brewer]

No need to completely cheat. Use S189 but two packets, drops clear pretty quick and does a fine job even at those temps.

 

[SBOB]

or do a 'fast lager'
http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

I've done this using Saflager W34/70 once

 

[Sunshine_Brewer]

or do a 'fast lager'
http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

I've done this using Saflager W34/70 once

This method looks good and I use the alternate method mentioned for fermentation. Using S189 or 34/70 will get you great results. After fermentation, I find a week or two largering in the keg at serving temp is all they need to get into the zone. A little longer with the largering and they slip into excellent territory. But there are a lot of other factors that come into play.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Wy 2042 Danish lager at 13C for 5 days and then 18C for 5 days. Then CC at -1C for 10 days and then carb up either over a week or forced. If you carb it up over a week or two technically youve already lagered it for 17-24 days anyway. Pretty quick in the scheme of things grain to brain in 20ish days.

Plenty of other threads on ales at lower temps. Search: Pseudo lager.

Most are US-05 fermented low.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Id recommend W34/70, make a fake lager @ 17c and then use the yeast cake for a real lager.

With the yeast cake ferment @ 9c will take about 5-8days, depending on fermentability, yeast nutrients and available O2 for ferment.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Hey I have to tip in, that I pressure ferment. I don't believe its the pressure ferment that has anything to do with it.
Its good yeast count and temperature control. Pitch over rather than under.
My lagers at lower temp range don't take much longer than ales at low temp range.
Its just that lagers traditionally are supposed to lager for a long time.
W-34/70 at 11c for 3 days then up temp 1c per day to 15c and sit for `2 days. Chill, transfer/rack.
That gets me lager on tap in 20 days easy. It just gets better after that.
If its not lager yeast it just wont taste like lager....2c.

 

[Glomp]

You could also use Tasty McDoles (from the brewing network) method

Pitches at 12.8oC

At 50% of the way to final gravity he then raises the temperature to 14.4oC
At 75% of the way to final gravity he then raises the temperature to 16.7oC
At 90% of the way to final gravity he then raises the temperature to 18.9oC

He says that it takes about 2 weeks to go from grain to brain

 

[pirateagenda]

Cheers guys, these methods look much better than the traditional times! Will definitely give the fast lager techinique a go.

Maybe a double brew day so I can get 2 batches following the same ramping and cooling schedule also.

 

[yankinoz]

Notty starts fast and is great for faux lagers at temps 14 and below, preferably 13. At 17 Notty just makes an English ale and to my tastes not a very good one. US-05 was originally used to grew faux lagers (Ballantine "Beer," but not Ballantine Ale), but cooler would be better. S-189 seems all right at15, but I haven't gone higher.

 

[Glomp]

My last ferment using WL029 on a Brulosophy Schwarzbier only took 36 hours when thrown onto the yeast cake and then hit with oxygen. I almost missed out on a diacetyl rest it was so fast. But was lucky to have a brewometer to alert me.