Is It Really Lager

[mikeBt]

I have put down my first lager (done 14 ales of different persuasions) and am not exactly sure how it will turn out. The lager in question is an Xtract Lager bought from The Country Brewer. The brew has been bubbling away at 16 degrees in my staircase storage area. I can't get the temperature below that as the weather hasn't played the game yet. Will my brew be undrinkable because of the temp or will it turn into an Ale. I don't have the time and refrigeration to lager properly so if I keep it as cold as possible will I retain some of the properties of a Lager or will it be just another fruity drop. Should I leave it in the back shed in secondary for several weeks before I bottle it or just stick it in the bottle and drink it. Ie how close to a lager will it be???

Cheers Mike

 

[simpletotoro]

I have put down my first lager (done 14 ales of different persuasions) and am not exactly sure how it will turn out. The lager in question is an Xtract Lager bought from The Country Brewer. The brew has been bubbling away at 16 degrees in my staircase storage area. I can't get the temperature below that as the weather hasn't played the game yet. Will my brew be undrinkable because of the temp or will it turn into an Ale. I don't have the time and refrigeration to lager properly so if I keep it as cold as possible will I retain some of the properties of a Lager or will it be just another fruity drop. Should I leave it in the back shed in secondary for several weeks before I bottle it or just stick it in the bottle and drink it. Ie how close to a lager will it be???

Cheers Mike

ummm ...could you give us the recipe you used also what type of yeast was it ...the kit yeast or something else?
cheers simpletototoro

 

[mikeBt]

Sorry, the yeast was S23 and the recipe was a 3KG Xtract Lager Brew.

 

[simpletotoro]

Sorry, the yeast was S23 and the recipe was a 3KG Xtract Lager Brew.

ok.. and its fermenting at 16/c...ok could you perhaps lower the temp by getting a large cardboard box...from say harvey norman or somewhere and doing what people do with one hundred can coolers ....see link below...line the inside of the box with alfoil (shiney side in)or insulating stuff and bung in some frozen water bottle bung in six x 2 litre bottles (frozen)straight up to lower the temp to say 10-12/c and then use say 2x 2 litre frozen bottles to maintain it...check out the link its post #3 you're after...i do something similar with two old fridges at my place and it works a treat...
link...
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...?showtopic=9233
i suspect it'll be ok...but to tell the truth i've never used a lager yeast at temps that high so i am only guessing...but at least next time you'll have a cheap way to keep the temp down...
sorry i couldn't help more
good luck simpletotoro

 

[mikeBt]

Simpletotoro, OK thanks for that, I wil do that tomorrow, hopefully I haven't allowed it to brew too long at the wrong temp.

If it has brewed completely, will it be ruined or will it turn into something like a Californian Common Beer, do you think....

Cheers

 

[PostModern]

I think TBC choose S-23 because it can get away with fermenting a little warmer. I brewed a part mash doppelbock at at 15-17C with S-23 years ago and got decent a tasting beer after a couple months in the bottle.

I'd be doing my damnedest to get the temp down lower, but 16 won't totally kill the beer with that strain, so long as you're patient with bottle conditioning them.

 

[simpletotoro]

Simpletotoro, OK thanks for that, I wil do that tomorrow, hopefully I haven't allowed it to brew too long at the wrong temp.

If it has brewed completely, will it be ruined or will it turn into something like a Californian Common Beer, do you think....

Cheers

to be honest i have no idea... sorry
goodluck simpletotoro

 

[MSR]

I have put down my first lager (done 14 ales of different persuasions) and am not exactly sure how it will turn out. The lager in question is an Xtract Lager bought from The Country Brewer. The brew has been bubbling away at 16 degrees in my staircase storage area. I can't get the temperature below that as the weather hasn't played the game yet. Will my brew be undrinkable because of the temp or will it turn into an Ale. I don't have the time and refrigeration to lager properly so if I keep it as cold as possible will I retain some of the properties of a Lager or will it be just another fruity drop. Should I leave it in the back shed in secondary for several weeks before I bottle it or just stick it in the bottle and drink it. Ie how close to a lager will it be???

Cheers Mike

I would be using the back shed, for primary and secondary. Not sure of the temps in Sydney at the moment but would probably be cooler than inside.

 

[oldbugman]

Sorry, the yeast was S23 and the recipe was a 3KG Xtract Lager Brew.

Did the exact same brew when I started out. threw in some extra hops, fermented it at 16 and it came out fine and I liked it(at the time).

 

[RobboMC]

I would be using the back shed, for primary and secondary. Not sure of the temps in Sydney at the moment but would probably be cooler than inside.

I've had a Bock sitting in my unheated garage in Sydney for the last 2 weeks,
temp is sitting at 13 deg C.

 

[mikeBt]

Well bottled it yesterday and it tasted very nice, no off flavours or smells. It was a bit cloudy with what looked like hop floaties. I will let it carb and then store in the garage fridge for a couple of months at 1-2 degrees and see how it turns out.

Cheers and thanks to all.

Mike

 

[mikeBt]

Well, the epilogue to this story is that it tasted so good that my son's mates came around and found it in the garage beer fridge and nearly demolished my whole batch(buggers). But I have converted 10 people to making their own beer. Trouble is they ring me up at odd hours and ask me technical questions that I have no chance of answering, oh well, life is good because I have made a lager the proper way and it is better.

mike

 

[Tony]

thats great!

I used S-23 a while back and found it a bit fruity at 12 deg but have heard its temp tollerant.

Get yourself a $50 op shop special fridge, doesnt matter if its rusty or old, and put a 0-40 deg thernostat in it.

then you can brew with a REALLY good lager yeast like W34-70 or the newer S-198 (i think)

you will notice the difference at 10 to 12 deg. It will be co clean and crisp you will have to lock it away from the kids.

cheers