Convert Lager kit to Ale?

[T2P]

I got the kit below from a friend for my birthday. Unfortunately I have no lagering equipment. It has instructions for fermenting as an ale but I am not sure how well those will work especially as the basement is a constant 68 degrees.

So my questions:

1) Is there a way to lager this without proper equipment (we are in the Minneapolis, MN area for weather)

2) Is there an alternative ale yeast that would make this kit?

3) Is there another recipe I could canabalize the kit for?

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1047_Dortumunder.pdf

 

[Carolinabrew21]

I would swap the Yeast for wyeast ale yeast of some sort and ferment between 70-78F and use the good ole 1-2-3 rule when fermenting!

 

[Yooper]

I would swap the Yeast for wyeast ale yeast of some sort and ferment between 70-78F and use the good ole 1-2-3 rule when fermenting!

Well, 70-78 is way too high, but otherwise I agree.

You could try some S05 ale yeast, and ferment it at 65 degrees if you can (in the coolest part of your basement) and it should still be a very nice beer. I'd keep it in the fermenter for 2-3 weeks, then bottle it. After it carbs up, some cold conditioning in the fridge for a couple of weeks might really help it shine.

 

[samc]

What yeast did they give you? They claim it will work at ale temps and I've done that exact thing back when I was doing Coopers kits. It usually produced an acceptable beer, not great but drinkable. I'd just brew it according to the directions for not having the lagering equipment.

 

[T2P]

Thanks for the input everyone. The yeast provided with the kit is a satchel of lager yeast. The kit is at my brew partners right now so I can't check it at the moment for the exact kind.

 

[lumpher]

Well, 70-78 is way too high, but otherwise I agree.

You could try some S05 ale yeast, and ferment it at 65 degrees if you can (in the coolest part of your basement) and it should still be a very nice beer. I'd keep it in the fermenter for 2-3 weeks, then bottle it. After it carbs up, some cold conditioning in the fridge for a couple of weeks might really help it shine.

i'm with yoop. s05 is a good clean ale yeast, and most of us (who use dry yeast) use it in place of lager yeast when lager temps are called for. try to keep it in the lower temp areas (65 if you can, but 68 is ok). 70-78 will cause off-taste regardless, but best of luck

 

[dummkauf]

Could you stick it in the garage???? I'm in Mpls and it's been in 35F - 55F range all week, and I don't think it's going to get warmer.

Granted you would have some temp flucuations between the day and night, but I'm pretty sure this is how lagers were made before we had referigerators and digital thermostats

 

[T2P]

Could you stick it in the garage???? I'm in Mpls and it's been in 35F - 55F range all week, and I don't think it's going to get warmer.

Granted you would have some temp flucuations between the day and night, but I'm pretty sure this is how lagers were made before we had referigerators and digital thermostats

That is something I was wondering if we could do. I agree about the warm temps being gone for good now. So what do other folks think about using the garage?

 

[Yooper]

That is something I was wondering if we could do. I agree about the warm temps being gone for good now. So what do other folks think about using the garage?

Well, I'd be concerned that the fermentation temps could drop before 48-50 degrees. If you can maintain 48-52 degrees-ish, it would be fine.