Saflager Fermenting Temps

[PostModern]

I'm primarily an ale drinker and brewer but I'm thinking of whipping up a dark lager/bock type batch. I have a sachel of Saflager S-23 but no fermenting fridge. I can lager the brew at regular fridge temps, but can get the fridge to stay warm enough to do the primary fermentation and don't, at this stage, have SWMBO's approval to lay down cash on either a brewing fridge or a $110 thermostat... Anyway, in the "stoop room" under my house I have a nice steady 18C at the moment. it may drop a few more degrees in mid-winter, but I really don't know. The hot water service is in there, and it only seems to change by a few degrees over the entire year, it was about 23-24 all Summer.

Anyway, my question is: will the S-23 produce a nice lager/bock if fermented at 18? ESB's site reckons it "will produce the best of its Lager flavours when fermented at low temperatures (10C-14C) yet producing very good beers at room temperature." Have any of you guys brewed with it above it's recommended range? If so, what were the results?

 

[RegBadgery]

I'm pretty much in the same boat - am just now brewing my first lagers. I have two lagers lagering and one fermenting.

Anyway I recently brewed an ale using saflager yeast - brewed at around 18 degrees and it tastes good.

I'm not lagering it - it has a flavour I don't know how to describe. I don't know what it would be like if I lagered it for a month or two.

Anyway from my limited experience of brewing using a lager yeast above optimum temp - I say it's worth a try.

cheers
reg

 

[Doc]

I fermented an AG Pils at 19degC using 2 packets of rehydrated SafLager.
The brew came out great.

I've bought the Pilsner Urquell liquid lager yeast so will be giving that a go over winter and in my next AG Pils brew.

Cheers,
Doc

 

[PostModern]

I am planning to try my first bock... I don't know if I can get away with it with what I have on hand, so if it tastes wrong I can either call it an ale or blame the high fermentation temp

Thanks for the input! I'll post back with how it goes.

 

[RegBadgery]

It'll probably taste good whatever it's called.

cheers
reg