Just how hard is lagering?

[MountainGoatBrewing]

Is it really as difficult as it seems? Has anyone had a good record of success with making Bocks, Vienna Lagers, Pilsners, etc.??

I'm damn curious about seeing if it can be done, but the temperature controls seem a bit excessive and I'm not sure I can handle such a long wait...plus it seems like it's better geared to all grain as opposed to extract.

Just how hard is it?

 

[MrManifesto]

i've never made but just seems like a temp control/pitch rate/patience game.

as long as you have those three down, lagers are easy!

 

[Monty420th]

believe me, if it is anything like the first time I ever uh, did the deed...then yes what you are in store for is a wonderful taste in your mouth with (hopefully) a light hangover, would do again if given the chance. The virgin taste of the brew, the crisp blend on your palate...it makes a grown man cry

 

[Monty420th]

in all seriousness the hardest part is the temp and wait time...if you have a temperature regulatur then take off the ****** wings and GET SOME

 

[MrManifesto]

in all seriousness the hardest part is the temp and wait time...if you have a temperature regulatur then take off the ****** wings and GET SOME

something tells me this emoticon is appropriate!

 

[Monty420th]

something tells me this emoticon is appropriate!

and what exactly is your point?

 

[MrManifesto]

and what exactly is your point?

take a wild guess. cheers!

 

[android]

it's just like learning any other brewing process plus some equipment needs. temperature control and pitching rates are crucial and it's not normally a good place to start with brewing, but once you get the hang of it, there's no reason you can't make consistently tasty lagers. once you get a pipeline of ales built up, do some research and track down an old fridge/temp controller, give one a try. it might not be perfect the first time, but you'll learn the process and the next one will be better.

 

[beerman0001]

As long as you can control the temp and understand how to use the yeast it is not that hard.

 

[pjj2ba]

It isn't complicated at all. You set it up, then sit your ass down and wait (while drinking some of your previous batch)

All that is needed is a spare fridge (or two!). Ferment the beer at 48-55F. Then lager it (in a secondary/keg) at 32-40F for a couple of weeks. Bottle and carb (at at least fermentation temps). If kegging, then you can force carb. I like to wait until after the first week of lagering in the keg to begin to force carb (set and forget method).

The only complicated part is being able to control the temperature. If you have a spare fridge, then it is a piece of cake.

One can even get away without the extra fridge. For many years I would just ferment in my basement (50 F) and then keg and let them age for several months before putting them in my serving fridge. Then it would take maybe two weeks in there before the beers hit their stride.

Now I have the capacity to do a proper lager and generally have a new lager ready to go in 6-8 weeks.

 

[JJL]

You have to have reliable temp control one way or another. You really need this for any beer, but ale's tend to be more forgiving, so most people don't bother with it until they get into lagers. The reason you need temp control is: 1) Most refrigerator thermostats don't go up to 50F, and 2) You need to step down the temp to lager temps. It's typically not advisable to go from 50F to 33F in one day.

 

[Darwin18]

You need reliable temperature control AND the capacity to make yeast starters. Controlling your temperatures, pitching healthy numbers of yeast, and pitching your yeast at fermentation temperature are the big differences from ales to lagers.

 

[wildwest450]

It's as hard as pitching a butt load of yeast and having temperature control. Patience is also required. Beyond that, just tremendous brewing skill.

 

[Jersh]

Lagering is nothing to be intimidated by... I purchased a small Heineken fridge at a charity auction and a 6 gallon Better Bottle fits perfectly inside it (with a blow-off tube, won't fit with an airlock). Surprisingly, the thermostat on this thing goes all the way up ~65F, so I'm able to use it for both lagers and ales. Anyways, like the others said, so long as you can control temp and pitch enough yeast you're golden... My S.M.A.S.H Oktoberfest lager is probably only of my best and most well received beers and it's also one of the easiest to brew.