How often do you brew a lager?

[Piperlester]

I'm working on improving my setup (a week away from bottling my second ale and starting the third). My current design is leaving me with challenges getting down to lager temperatures, so I'm curious how often other folks are doing lagering? I'm predicting I'm able to get the fermentation chamber down to around 13 degrees C, but the last couple to hit proper lager temps are proving problematic.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Chest freezer with a temperature controller. Set the controller to 50F. I brew one every 2 months or so.

 

[MaxStout]

I brew a lager once in a while, only done a few so far. I have a 5 cu ft chest freezer with an STC-1000 to control. I have no problems maintaining consistent lagering temps just above freezing.

If your ferm chamber can only hold 13C, maybe we can help troubleshoot. Give us some info about your chamber.

 

[Piperlester]

I brew a lager once in a while, only done a few so far. I have a 5 cu ft chest freezer with an STC-1000 to control. I have no problems maintaining consistent lagering temps just above freezing.

If your ferm chamber can only hold 13C, maybe we can help troubleshoot. Give us some info about your chamber.

At the moment, it's a plywood box with a thermoelectric cooler (peltier) cooling/heating water reservoirs that are used to cool/heat via a small radiator with a pair of small fans. The supply water is only getting down to 13C, so that is my current projected low limit on the chamber.

I may need to add an additional peltier or look at reducing the reservoir size to increase efficiency. It's that or increase the radiator and fan size to gain a larger heat transfer on the hot side to allow more heat to be drawn from the cold side.

Currently we're planning the basement renovations, so throwing a freezer or fridge down there doesn't make sense with the space it would consume compared to my small chamber.

 

[JR_Brewer]

This year, 2 out of 12 of my batches were lagers, which is the most I've done in a year. I lager by brewing a 3 gallon batch instead of 5, and putting the smaller fermenter in my kegerator for lagering. Kegerator has digital temp control, so that part is easy. But, doing it this way produces a smaller batch and takes a spot in my kegerator, so it's the exception, not the rule.

 

[Master]

I go away for work for 2+ months at a shot 3x a year, so I usually brew a Lager right before leaving, and my wife runs the temp profile for me (SS Brewtech Conical, with FTSS using my freezer as a cold glycol source)

2 batches of Bohemian Pilsner, one Munich Helles this year.

I tend to do my ales when I get home, usually 2 per 2 month trip home.

Brew Schedule:

January- ESB Double Batch, One Casked for Super Bowl, One Kegged
February- Stout, Bohemian Pilsner
March-April Lager, Lagering
May- IPA
June-Munich Helles
July-August- At work, Lager, Lagering
September-Hefewizen and a Porter
October- Brew Lager.
Nov-Dec- At work, Lager, Lagering.

 

[brewcat]

I brewed my first two this year. I'll probably brew one a few times a year. I just need to figure a schedule so I'm adequately stocked. I have 4 kegs and 2 taps, so I can lager two while drinking two.

Check out the yeast 34/70. Ideal temp is 54-59 degrees, but apparently is fine higher.

 

[kh54s10]

I tried one in my fermentation chamber. It barely got cold enough. I then got a chest freezer for doing lagers, did 2 then had a year hiatus preparing my house for sale and moving. The chest freezer is in storage so no lagers for a while longer. When I get a new house and set up I plan on having a lager on tap most of the time. I have a 3 keg setup.

 

[PADave]

I've never done a lager.

 

[redarmy990]

You live in Calgary, stick it outside. LOL
Where in Calgary are you, a number of years ago i lived in Calgary and worked in construction(i am a carpenter by trade). Worked on the new digital media library at Calgary University.

 

[Kent88]

As often as I can.

Which hasn't been often enough for the past couple years. it makes me sad...

 

[eric19312]

I’m drinking my first lager in 5 years. Fermented warm with 34/70. Pretty good but will probably be gone before it properly clears.

 

[casualbrewer]

Everytime..... Pretty exclusively. Just like that clean taste.

 

[Ogroat]

I’ve recently bought a chest freezer to make into a fermentation chamber. I’m looking forward to use it to make my first lager in 2018. I’ve got a couple ales in the pipeline first, but I think that I should be able to give lagers a shot sometime in February.

 

[mr_stout]

I thought this thread was about how often we have brewed a lager. Well, I have never brewed a lager. It is strictly stout for me. LOL.
If you have money you can buy a expensive cooling solution for your carboy. I would suggest using an old refridgerator.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I'm working on improving my setup (a week away from bottling my second ale and starting the third). My current design is leaving me with challenges getting down to lager temperatures, so I'm curious how often other folks are doing lagering? I'm predicting I'm able to get the fermentation chamber down to around 13 degrees C, but the last couple to hit proper lager temps are proving problematic.

The first question is - do you need to "get down to lager temperatures"? Have a look at this thread - people are making good lager at "ale" temperatures, as long as you use the right yeast. It's early days, but it looks like you want Frohberg-type yeast, of which the archetype is 34/70 - they have more ale DNA than Saaz-group yeast. Seriously, give it a go before spending a lot of money on new equipment.

Otherwise - there's a long tradition of brewing with the seasons - brew lager in winter and saisons in summer (or use kveik yeast). At this time of year, put your water reservoir in a plastic storage box, wrap a blanket round it and fill it with snow....

 

[waldoar15]

I'm going to try to do one every other month now that I have a chest freezer and a temperature controller.

 

[Smellyglove]

Lagers has been my main focus lately. I always do brew a quick turnaround beer as often as I can just for keeping the kegerator (and me) happy, but lagers has been my focus of "nailing", the last few months. Since I like to brew beers quite often I had to up my fridge park from five to six fridges, where the last one is sitting at a constant -1C, which is the dedicated lagering fridge.

 

[C-Rider]

I've made 2 or 3 over the years but I really don't like lagers. Pretty tasteless. Give be a good ALE any day.

 

[November]

Everytime..... Pretty exclusively. Just like that clean taste.

Same here. Virtually every beer I make is a lager.

 

[Oginme]

I'm just about to start lagering season. With it being consistently cold in the northeast, it is easier on my fermentation fridge, which is in my basement that hovers around the 50's during the winter. Plus, my sauna antechamber will be around 40°F which has been fairly good for lagering. I will be brewing about 11 different lagers from this coming Sunday until mid-February.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

I've made 2 or 3 over the years but I really don't like lagers. Pretty tasteless. Give be a good ALE any day.

Schwarzbier, German Pils, Doppelbock, Rauchbier are all tasteless? Interesting.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I've made a few and enjoying lagers more than any other beer lately. The thing with lagers is there either right or really wrong even with temp control. Mine were never as good as store bought. I must be doing something wrong.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

A few a year, this year 15 gallons of German pils, 10 schwarzbier, 10 of a dry hopped bopils-ish beer, and I have some home smoked malt I just made for a Munich dunkel.

 

[schematix]

9/10 of mine are lagers. Only the annual mega IPA is an ale.

 

[C-Rider]

Schwarzbier, German Pils, Doppelbock, Rauchbier are all tasteless? Interesting.

Ok Schwarzbier has good taste. Don't think I'v had a Rauchbier. Pilsners yea tastless. Of course this all could be due to my age. At 74 I don't taste as many "tastes" as when I was younger. LOL

 

[SleepyCreekBrews]

Usually just 1 in the winter...I still have some Octoberfest from last winter (I brewed 10 gallons). I'm currently thinking about a Vienna, but don't have a recipe yet.

 

[Rairdog]

I just started experimenting with lager but use 2112 yeast at 63f at 2 weeks then bump it up to 68 for a few days. Then it goes into the kegerator at 39 for 3 weeks plus. I didn't want a separate fermenator for lager temps and it was to difficult trying to adjust the temps between lagers and ales.

 

[yourlastchance89]

I like lagers and I set out to get the equipment to be able to do one as soon as I could. I do one about every 3rd brew or so.

 

[Kharnynb]

I've got a nice cellar, so lager is done when I feel like it, not going to quite the extreme, near freezing point, some people do their first "lagering" at, but the results have always been quite good.

 

[Sadu]

I have been brewing a bunch of lagers for an upcoming Oktoberfest party. 7 corny kegs + 7 small 1.5 gallon batches.
Of those 9 are lagers and its been awesome working on the recipes and processes this year. My favourite is the traditional bock. So much flavour but still drinkable at 6.2%. Also love the schwarzbier since it makes dark beer accessible to regular folk, plus it makes for a tasty session beer also.

 

[madscientist451]

I have a temperature controlled freezer for fermenting, but my basement is really cold in the winter and so I'll brew a few batches, let them ferment down there, then cold crash and keg them up for summer drinking.
Before I got the chest freezer I used an insulated cardboard box with frozen plastic water bottles and it worded fine, but had to be checked every day.