A homebrewing acquaintance frequently updates me on his brewing projects, and he often mentions "lagering" his ales. I just let him enjoy his hobby and never trouble him with the details.
Recently he told me about a dark German beer he had recently brewed. He called it a "black beer" and thought it impressive that you can't even see through it. I didn't mention that a true stout/porter has that same quality. I figured it was a lager, so I asked and he said yes, it was a lager, but stated that he used an ale yeast instead of a lager yeast. I refrained from breaking the bad news to him.
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He went on to inform me that the trick to a good beer was lagering for a few weeks or even months. Again, I held back my comments. I don't always like to correct people, especially if they seem to think they know what they're talking about. Plus, I don't always know what I'm talking about!
That's why I decided to do a little double checking, and write about it here to explain the real difference between aging, lagering, and using ale yeasts to make lagers. The latter of which is technically impossible anyway. If we use a lager yeast and ferment at ale temperatures, or use an ale yeast and ferment at lager temps we have successfully created a "hybrid" beer which I won't go into detail about here.
So, why don't we lager ales? Simple answer: because lagering is a process used to produce lagers not ales, and if you're looking for a traditional lager flavor or ale flavor it is best to stick with the program. We lager lagers and age ales. What's the difference?
Home brewers like to experiment, but if we start mixing and matching yeasts without first understanding how they work then we are doing ourselves a great disservice.
Simply put, lager yeasts are yeasts that ferment and age at lower temperatures than ale yeasts. Lagers are generally fermented around 55 degrees, and lagered at even lower temps, say, between 35 and 45 degrees for a few weeks. Lagering is aging at a colder temp in order to produce the desired result for that style of beer.
Ales are not lagered. They are generally fermented between 65 and 70 degrees, and aged at roughly that temp for a couple of weeks, depending on the style.
Also, lager yeasts impart certain flavors and aromas to the brew which are not typical of ales, and vice versa. If your intention is to brew a really great, traditional lager, then use ingredients geared toward that style, and by all means use a lager yeast! Using an ale yeast in this mix will not produce the style you intend to achieve.
The fellow I mentioned earlier tossed a wrench into the works when he fermented his dark German lager with an ale yeast. His final product was not a German lager, but just a mixed up home brew hybrid. His beer would have had a different flavor if fermented with lager yeast and aged cold, or lagered.
When fermenting your lager, setup a cool environment so you can ferment at optimum temperatures for that style of beer, and prepare to lager it for a few weeks at that cold temperature too.
Ales are the mainstay of many home brewers simply because they require no special temperature control systems. They are easier. Brew it, rack it to the fermenter and cover it up. That's all. A consistent 65 to 70 degree ambient room temperature is just fine.
In my area of the northeast U.S. these temps occur naturally during the spring and fall. Sometimes I'll brew during the winter because our in-house temp is usually right around 65 degrees. I rarely brew in the summer because temperatures are too inconsistent, and often too hot.
Depending on the style, and strength of your ale, you would want to age it for at least one week after the first fermentation is complete. When you rack it to the secondary you can take the opportunity to add additional flavors like oak chips or fruit flavorings, or just to let it sit for another week to settle out more. But this is not considered lagering, it is simply aging.
After bottling let the beer sit for two weeks to further condition and carbonate before giving it a try. Also, with an average ABV of around 5 or 6% most homebrews would suffer from sitting too long. Try to consume your beer within 4 or 5 months after bottling. Aging your homebrewed ales for a prolonged period is not always a good idea, unless your alcohol content is sufficient to prevent bacteria from overdeveloping.
So, It's fine to experiment with hops and yeast varieties, but if you are trying to produce specific styles of ale or lager, make sure you use the correct yeast for the project, and the roper fermentation process.
Happy brewing!
Cyber Monday Wall Mounting Adjustable Oak Wine Rack with Cellar Style Finish by Wooden You Shelving Supports 30 Bottles - 45" Wide X 48" High X 12" Deep 2011 Deals
Dec 07, 2011 16:19:27
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Cyber Monday Wall Mounting Adjustable Oak Wine Rack with Cellar Style Finish by Wooden You Shelving Supports 30 Bottles - 45" Wide X 48" High X 12" Deep Feature
- Wall Mounted-No Studs or Wall Backing Required
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- Holds 30 Bottles With a Top Shelf For Added Storage
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Cyber Monday Wall Mounting Adjustable Oak Wine Rack with Cellar Style Finish by Wooden You Shelving Supports 30 Bottles - 45" Wide X 48" High X 12" Deep Overview
Solid Oak Wine Rack Cellar StyleManufactured in the USAThis Wall Mounting Wine Rack holds 30 bottles of your favorite Wine/Liquor. Wine Rack is 45" Wide.Installation is a Breeze and requires absolutely NO STUDS and/or WALL BACKING!This Wine Rack is part of the Wooden You Shelving family of Wine Racks. Wooden You Shelving has branded itself as one of the Most Premier Shelving Systems in the country.All products come with a FULL LIFETIME WARRANTY!Wooden You Shelving is committed to providing Superior Customer Satisfaction and prides itself on creating lifetime relationships.Please feel free to check out our other listings as we make a variety of Wine Racks in many different Sizes and Styles.*When purchasing, supply us with your desired color/finish in the notes section (stains can be viewed in the graph above).**Thanks for checking us out and don't forget to tell your friends!SAVE NOW on Cyber Monday offers below!
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