How cold can ale yeast go before it dies?

[Gemok]

Hi All

Just want to check something before muck up my second brew.
Its a coopers lager kit brewed with the kit's yeast, been in the FV for 10 days and I've just transfered it into my pressure barrel without priming it with the intention of sticking it in the garage for a fortnight in a rough attempt at crash cooling before priming and bottling. Is the cold spell were having going to be so cold it'll kill off the yeast and I'll end up with flat beer?

Oh one unrelated question the hydrometer readings have been the same the last two time I took them but when I filled the trial tube using a tap in the FV there was a bit of head and visible bubbles in the sample shouldn't it be flat when fermenting is complete?

Chris

 

[prolix]

that sounds a lot like storing it in a cold place or lagering to me. :thumb:

should not be a problem :

Oh mine is always fizzy when fermentation is finished all that lovely disolved CO2

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

I've made a few of the Coopers kits, in fact I bottled 40 pints of Pilsener last night and am currently drinking their European lager which is excellent.

I tend to bottle lager, and put ales into kegs as I find that I don't get sufficient carbonation for lager when kegging. I also keep lagers in the fermenting bucket for at least 3 weeks, the lager I bottled last night was crystal clear.

After 2 weeks sitting inside I move the bottles outside. It's pretty drinkable at this stage but I found it took a further 4 weeks outside in the cool (lagering) until I'd got rid of the chill haze.

 

[Gemok]

It's interesting to hear the processes different people use. My plan with this batch is
10 days in FV indoors
14 days in barrel in garage
bottle
14 days in bottles indoors
move bottles to garage for as long as will power holds out before drinking. At a guess 5 minutes :)

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

Out of interest, what temperature did you brew at, and what were your hydro readings?

For both the European lager & Pilsener I've added 500g light spraymalt & 500g brewing sugar, fermented at 16 degrees and had an OG of 1040 & FV of 1007.

 

[Gemok]

I used 1kg brewing sugar and had a SG of 1045 and FG of 1010. I don't have any control over my brewing tempreture and didn't take any readings sorry.