Lager fermenting in the winter months

[Devonhomebrew]

If i pitch lager yeast in my wort in say mid december when it barly gets past 14 outside would it work well and then leave out in the cold for lagering for 1 month then bottle it? I think my plan has cross the line from brewing to total insanity. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Dr Mike]

The problem is that the outside temp just isn't that predictable. In Jan & Feb the average temp is probably something like 1 to 3 degrees but it can easily get as warm as 10 or 12 degrees of an Atlantic system comes in or as cold as -10 by night if we get an arctic or Siberian wind, although if you live by the sea that will moderate the colder end.

 

[Archtronics]

I'm doing one right now using a waterbath and immersion heater and bottles of ice, its a little simple but some temperature probes fitted to an old laptop tracks temps and alerts me when I need to add ice etc.

 

[Good Ed]

If i pitch lager yeast in my wort in say mid december when it barly gets past 14 outside would it work well and then leave out in the cold for lagering for 1 month then bottle it? I think my plan has cross the line from brewing to total insanity. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

That's not a bad plan, I have a cellar which is just the job for fermenting and I've lagered in the shed over the winter months. In bulk your beer temperature won't fluctuate that much when lagering outside.