Is my brew is too cold

[Anno]

Hi all, I need some advice.

I am brewing my first ever batch which is a larger and i have recently moved to an area that is very cold. for the next few months my batch won't be over 12*C an in another room it wont go over 5*C
I need to know is larger the best beer to be brewing at any of these temps or should i brew something else and should i leave it in the 12*C or the 5*C room

Thanks

 

[mxd]

get a fermenting "thing", for me the "thing" is a fridge with a heat belt and a temp controller, that way no matter what the temp is around, I'm fermenting my Largers at 10 and my Smallers at 18

 

[NewtownClown]

Have you moved to a meat locker?

 

[Bribie G]

Not jumping on a new member, Anno, but if I joined a Holden Monaro forum and referred to my carborater I'd be given the rounds of the kitchen - it's "Lager" not "Larger"

Having sorted that out, as mxd posted your best bet would be to acquire a fridge, a heat belt and a temperature controller such as a fridgemate. That way you'll be good Summer or Winter.

However as you'll be doing a lager and looking at around the 12 degree mark then I'd get myself a proper lager yeast such as S-189 (Swiss Lager) and just ferment it in that room for a couple of weeks.

If you can get a fridge then in fact you can just place the fermenter (alt: fermentor) in the fridge without turning it on and the thermal mass of the beer plus the insulation of the fridge will keep the temperature stable. Provided you are in the range preferred by a yeast, It's sudden changes in temperature rather than the temperature itself that can cause problems.

Edit:
PS welcome to the obsession, Anno.

 

[Anno]

thats great advice i will look into this however i am trying to not spend anything for the time being as i just forked out to setup everything.....
I will definitely look into a better yeast for my LAGER also. I will post in a week or so and let you know which way i decide to go.

thanks again

 

[mxd]

If you have the fermenter heater (looks like a fish pond one), then use that in the 5 degree room, with the heater you could do a D-Rest for your lager and ferment ales as well.

look for free fridges, otherwise you can use your 12 degree room for fermentation (just remember the fermentation will produce heat so the 12 degree room could be fermenting at 14 degree's) and then the 5 degree room for lagering.

 

[tricache]

I am fermenting a lager at the moment (my first one) and I agree with what has been said, get a good yeast and fermentation will be fine. I am using Saf-23 and it is doing well at 14 degrees and can go as low as 12 but I'm sure there are more lager yeasts will ferment even lower.