Lagering in Potentially freezing garage

[Norwaybrewer]

I am lagering my lager in a secondary in a week or two, and I have to choose between the isolated basement at 14 celsius and the garage, that is almost always above freezing (4-5 degrees).

Should I go with garage?

Will it help to wrap blankets or a douve or something around the carboy to decrease the chance of icing the beer if freezing weather happens?

Thank you!!

 

[freisste]

Swamp cooler. Likely enough thermal mass to keep it from freezing...at least until you can save it. Obviously you should keep an eye on the temp of the beer and the upcoming weather forecast.

 

[mrduna01]

I've yet to do a lager but I think lagering is best done in the lower 50s. Upper 30s will likely be too cold but hopefully someone can confirm or object to that.


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[gilstein21]

the lagering part is fine in the 30s; fermentation is usually in the 50s

 

[kombat]

I think lagering is best done in the lower 50s. Upper 30s will likely be too cold

Why would upper 30's be too cold? What is it you think happens during lagering?

Just above freezing is perfect.

 

[Rockn_M]

Think of lagering as cold storage.

 

[Norwaybrewer]

Ah, so actually you "lager" an ale too by having it in the fridge for 3 weeks?

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[Hello]

Ah, so actually you "lager" an ale too by having it in the fridge for 3 weeks?

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I don't think it quite extends like that. Lager is "like" cold storage but the yeast is what makes the difference. I could be wrong.

OP, I'd say the garage could work but I'd stick it on some towels and wrap it. Pay close attention to the temps.

 

[Norwaybrewer]

Oh then, to make things more complicated :

ITS AN ALE YEAST!!

Should i not lager it then??

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[Hello]

Oh then, to make things more complicated :

ITS AN ALE YEAST!!

Should i not lager it then??

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Okay then. What were your fermentation temps from pitching to now? Did you use an ale yeast but fermented at lager temps?

Basically a lager is a lager due to the yeast you use and of course the temps. I don't think you have a lager until you use a lager yeast, even if you fermented at lager temps.

If you want to toss your carboy into the freezing basement then I would call that cold crashing. At this point though I have to ask what yeast did you use and what temps did you ferment at?

In the end who cares, right? If you made a great beer with a lager recipe and ale yeast then I'd consider that a win. If you want to cold crash to clear then that is totally fine.

 

[mrduna01]

the lagering part is fine in the 30s; fermentation is usually in the 50s

I stand corrected

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[Norwaybrewer]

Okay then. What were your fermentation temps from pitching to now? Did you use an ale yeast but fermented at lager temps?

Basically a lager is a lager due to the yeast you use and of course the temps. I don't think you have a lager until you use a lager yeast, even if you fermented at lager temps.

If you want to toss your carboy into the freezing basement then I would call that cold crashing. At this point though I have to ask what yeast did you use and what temps did you ferment at?

In the end who cares, right? If you made a great beer with a lager recipe and ale yeast then I'd consider that a win. If you want to cold crash to clear then that is totally fine.

Its been 14 celsius all the way i think +-1. Its been bubbling slowly for eight days now and gravity at 1.021 after day 6 from about 1.042-44 OG.

I read that if you pitch some more yeast together with the priming sugar, it should be okay even if the yeast go dormant during cold crashing/"lagering". Is there any point in cold crashing with ale yeast??

Thank you all for helpful replies. I love this hobby now

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[gilstein21]

cold crashing will help clear the beer, but don't do it until you know fermentation is done.

 

[Norwaybrewer]

Ok, last question, regarding that last answer.

When fermentation is finished in primary, beer is usually still green and has not developed the right flavours.

Will cold crashing kill off some or all later development?

If i add new yeast with priming after CC, i dont have to worry about that, right??

thank you for answers!

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[kombat]

Ale fermentations typically complete in 3-5 days. After that, there is a cleanup period of several more days. However, after 2 weeks or more, you can be fairly certain that the yeast has finished all it's going to do.

Lagering serves to clarify the beer and permit an aging period for the flavours to blend. However, the yeast are not typically doing anything during this period.

You do not need to add more yeast later on unless you've taken steps to deliberately kill/remove the yeast already in the beer (via pasteurization, filtering, or dosing with Campden tablets). There will still be enough yeast left in the beer to perform bottle carbonation.