So while I was online, I ordered two kits to keep me in the beers. In my haste in picking I added an american bock to the cart and of i'm not exactly equipped to lager any beer yet. So my question is, can I just change the yeast and make an ale instead? Or would it likely be gross since the kit is designed to be lagered? At some point I'm going to get a fridge to do lagering but is there any reason to wait?
Can I turn my bock into an ... ale?
- Thread starter WhyTee
- Start date
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Find a friend with a cold unfinished basement and crack the window a bit
or
get some extra hops and make an ale, it won't be undrinkable. The extracts used for lagers and ales is basically the same (mostly a color difference), the hops and yeast make all of the difference.
Do you know what type of extract is in the kit, hopped? un-hopped? I would guess the former.
-ander
or
get some extra hops and make an ale, it won't be undrinkable. The extracts used for lagers and ales is basically the same (mostly a color difference), the hops and yeast make all of the difference.
Do you know what type of extract is in the kit, hopped? un-hopped? I would guess the former.
-ander
It's an AHS kit, unhopped (have to dump the pellets in the wort). Here're the ingredients:
1/2 lb Caramunich (grain)
1/8lb Chocolate malt (grain)
1lb Brewery Corn Syrup (liquid)
2lbs Munich extract (liquid)
3lbs Amber Extract (liquid)
1oz Liberty hops ... says to dump 3/4 at 60 and 1/4 at 5
and of course the yeast is lager yeast.
What do you think?
1/2 lb Caramunich (grain)
1/8lb Chocolate malt (grain)
1lb Brewery Corn Syrup (liquid)
2lbs Munich extract (liquid)
3lbs Amber Extract (liquid)
1oz Liberty hops ... says to dump 3/4 at 60 and 1/4 at 5
and of course the yeast is lager yeast.
What do you think?
shafferpilot
Well-Known Member
A good crutch for you might be to use an ale yeast at lower than normal temps. normal ale temp is 68F-70F. If your (or your buddy's) basement holds low 60's, you can use a hearty ale yeast like Nottingham or Safale-05 at this lower temp and come close to the results of a lager yeast. The ideal situation of course is to actually make a lager! Lager yeast like to ferment in the 50F-52F range. They are VERY intollerant of higher temps even for just a few hours. I've heard of people having success by using a brew belt to warm the fermenter while it sits in a really cold garage or porch. This is a tricky proposition. I managed to build a lagering cabinet for about $100, so I don't have much experience trying to "wing" lagers. Here's the cabinet:
http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=41581
http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=41581
kenche
Well-Known Member
As long as you use an ale yeast, I cannot think of a reason that you would not get a decent ale from that grain bill (edit - except that I don't know much about brewer's corn syrup). I would use a clean yeast, such as nottingham.
I would probably up the hops a bit as ales tend to be hoppier.
Maybe 3/4 at 60
1/2 at 30
1/2 at 15
I would probably up the hops a bit as ales tend to be hoppier.
Maybe 3/4 at 60
1/2 at 30
1/2 at 15
You would be fine with an ale yeast. I personally would use an American ale yeast. American ale is actually a very clean finishing yeast. I cold condition my beers for a week to 10 days to help clear, and if I use American ale and then cold condition (pseudo lager) they are very crisp and clean. Not lager crisp and clean, but not far off either.
Ice9
Well-Known Member
Why not use a California Common yeast? Wyeast 2112 or White Labs WLP810
And ferment in the low to middle sixties like an Anchor Steam clone.......
And ferment in the low to middle sixties like an Anchor Steam clone.......
Mutilated1
Beer Drenched Executioner
Thats pretty much what I've been doing. Here in Alabama it doesn't get all that cold, so I'm making my lagers with WLP810. I still try and ferment in the low 50s if I can, but if it gets up into the 60s it doesn't ruin it.
