Cool Temps Ale Or Yeast

[BruceL]

I only started brewing last year and have not brewed during winter. Now that the weather is cool, what style of beer would the best to brew (Ale or Lager)?

At the moment temperatures in my house vary from as low as 16 on a cold night up to 19 during a warm day. Would it be best to stick to ale or would a lager be a better choose.

Im a bit concerned that I might get a difficult fermentation (stuck fermentations, high FG etc) with temps as low as 16 with an ale yeast.

Alternatively would lager yeast give an overly fruity beer at these temps as high as 19?

Bruce

 

[Kai]

There are some lager yeasts that go that high and some ale yeasts that go that low. If you want a cleaner beer then I would go something like 1007 which goes right down to 13, or if something with more character then 2112 might be a good option.

check out the temperature ranges listed on the wyeast site for more inspiration

http://wyeastlab.com/beprlist.htm

Assuming you can get wyeast, of course.

 

[normell]

Hi BruceL
One thing to consider is that the temperature of the wort itself won't vary with the surrounding temps.
Your brew in those types of temps would be roughly around the 17 to 18 DegC constantly, so a good high temp lager, or low temp ale yeast should suit fine.

 

[matti]

Try Safale yeast if you got a brew shop near by. Perfect.
Dry saflager yeast ferment out on two week in thise temps as well.
Made a Munton Pilsner Kit with brewcraft #62 kit converter with saflager(56)? about two week in fermenter racked it to second for a week or so an left it really cold for another week bulk primed it. 6 weeks later tasted better the Hahn Premium. I bulked primed with dextrose and maltodextrine. All GONE!
Matti

 

[Weizguy]

BruceL (Bruiser!!!),

Mate, Just get a good liquid lager yeast and ferment ya heart out!
Chris White of WhiteLabs (hey, it's got his name in it) sez that U should use a lager yeast for a lager and an ale yeast for an ale, even if U wanna ferment a lager at warm temps.

Now, I don't consider 18C to be warm. At that temp U can brew a fine lager or a fine ale with the right yeast. I'd recommend W34/70 or US56 as good dry yeast for your temp. There are, of course, liquid yeast too, but I dunno how much money U have. These yeast are as good (IMHO) as liquid yeast and a little cheaper.

If U want lager, brew a lager/pils (mmmm, pils). If U want a nice clean ale (it may be difficult to brew a fruity ale at this temp, even tho' American Ale yeast can get a bit fruity down to 16, in my experience), brew that, too.

(Seth climbs on to soapbox to testify!) Or U could brew a cool wheat with either dry/liquid American ale or liquid Wheat beer yeast. It's a good temp for any beer. :beerbang:

Just brew what U have in stock and then grab/formulate a recipe and go for it.
I plan to get rid of a can kit that's hanging around and make a hoppy Yank Wheat beer. Happy to share the simple recipe if U want. No, I haven't given up ag, but I'm not yet all all-grain.

Sethule Arrogant