Beer/lager

[Localfisher]

Hi there, ok, my first question.

When we talk about beer brewing, do we mean beer and lager, or just beer? I have a brewing kit and am looking to buy a lager brewing kit, are these 2 things similar to brew from these packs?

Thanks in advance

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Lager is a form of Beer, just as Bitter, Stout, and Porter are, it's just lighter and fizzier and brewed very slightly differently.

If your talking about brewing it from a kit then the chances are the process will be exactly the same as making an Ale. Kits usually come with Ale yeast which mean you ferment them at the same temperature as you would an Ale, about 20C.

A true Lager yeast operates best at about 12C, so need to be treated a bit differently, something most homebrewers can't easily do when they first start out, hence the use of Ale yeasts, 20C is much more achievable.

To get the true Lager effect, you need to chill the beer to about 1C and hold it there for a couple of months, this is the actual 'Lagering' process and what gives Lager it clean feel.

 

[unclepumble]

To add to steve's comments, there is physically no difference between lager and beer, they are both made with the same basic ingredients, water malt hops and Yeast, it is the yeasts that make the final beer, Lager is basically a broad style of beer.

Ale is actually a term for unhopped beer, a term used before hops were widely used in beer making, beer was used to distingish between a hopped beer and an unhopped drink (ale)

Lager yeasts tend to be of the bottom fermenting variety, I.e they work from the bottom of the beer, (not strictly true as plenty are suspended in the wort whilst fermentation is going on, however they drop out of suspension when fermentation is comnplete, lager yeasts tend to work at lower temps too, (you don't get a very clean beer when fermenting a true lager yeast at ale temperatures)

ale yeasts tend to be top fermenting, ie lots of them form a skin on top of the beer when fermenting and shortly after they have done their job (burton ale is a classic example as are the yorkshire strains) they don't work very well sub 15 deg C where lager yeasts thrive.

Unless you can control your fermentation temperatures, such as in a fridge with your own PID controlling temp, don't try a lager, it will be gash, also if you buy a lager kit the chances are the yeast that comes with it will be a clean fermenting ale yeast, therefore you will not be brewing a true lager.

To sum up Lager means "TO STORE" nothing more its just a type of Beer.

UP

 

[Localfisher]

Thanks both for the reply, looks like my first brew then will be lager, but not a true lager, but no worries ill still drink it, i plan to brew some ale, cider and the missus has asked for some wine too, im going to be busy!
Cheers

 

[Garry35]

As much as the purists probably won't like it, I'd say if you want to brew a kit lager I'd say go for it.

The first kit I did was a coopers aussie lager, which comes with an ale yeast, and I loved it! I've done it several times since as well. It may not taste like a pure lager to the critics, but is was tasty enough to knock back a few cold ones when needed!

In fact I've got a Coopers Pilsener on the go now, which will be bottled this weekend. I've brewed one can kit lagers and ales and also a couple of 2 can golden ales all in the same place in the house, which holds a pretty steady temperature of around 15-18 degrees all year round.

Obviously if you're going to brew with a lager yeast, then you want to try and keep the FV at the low end of what is recommended, but my theory is that the kit maker (eg Coopers) know that the homebrewer may not be able to maintain the perfect temperature for lager, and so reproduce a decent enough substitute using an ale rather than lager yeast.

As much as this may not produce the best beers, I've not had to throw a beer away, it's all been enjoyed for what it is, a home brewed beer!

 

[shearclass]

In fact I've got a Coopers Pilsener on the go now

I believe this kit comes with a lager yeast...

 

[Garry35]

Indeed it does!

I think the principle for kit brewing is the same no matter what kit it is. Keep an eye on the temperature and follow the instructions.

And if you see a kit beer you want to brew, then brew it. It's your home brew!