Lager kit

[Spike101uk]

So finally decided to make a lager

I'll probably use a kit to start but if I use a day coopers lager or pilsner kit and swapped kit yeast for a proper lager yeast

Could I then ferment in a corny in the fridge that's about 11 degrees, I'll obviously put an air lock on one of the disconnects

Thoughts, hints tips and recommendations of which kit

 

[pms67]

Have a look in the sticky's and check out best beer kits.
I'm not just saying that cause I started it 😂

 

[terrym]

I'll probably use a kit to start but if I use a day coopers lager or pilsner kit and swapped kit yeast for a proper lager yeast

Coopers Euro lager and the pilsner both come with 'proper' lager yeasts, but the Original series lager comes with an ale yeast.
However if you use the yeast from the first two kits you might need to prop it up with another lager yeast, since some have had success at fermenting with the single kit yeast at low temperatures and others, including me, haven't. In their recipes Coopers recommend using Saflager W-34/70 yeast, see
http://store.coopers.com.au/recipes/index/list/section/lager.
Look through the reviews here to see what's what on these and other kits
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=61597

 

[ericmark]

To make beer we boil the water and keep everything really clean so it does not matter how long it takes to produce alcohol, but to make a beer kit we use tap water and speed is required to ensure alcohol is produced to kill any other bacteria before they can multiply so we do not lager a kit, we may make up a kit which tastes like lager but we do not make true lager with a kit.

When you read kit instructions at least with Coopers it tells you to get the yeast in without delay, with proper beer we wait for the beer to cool before adding yeast.

 

[terrym]

To make beer we boil the water and keep everything really clean so it does not matter how long it takes to produce alcohol, but to make a beer kit we use tap water and speed is required to ensure alcohol is produced to kill any other bacteria before they can multiply so we do not lager a kit, we may make up a kit which tastes like lager but we do not make true lager with a kit.

When you read kit instructions at least with Coopers it tells you to get the yeast in without delay, with proper beer we wait for the beer to cool before adding yeast.

Are you saying there are bacteria in tap water?
And why can't you lager beer made from a kit.
And why does a kit not produce 'proper' beer?

 

[sdt7618]

Having just done my 8th lager kit with tap water straight from a hose, each kit having 4 weeks to ferment at 12.5degrees, 6 weeks to lager 3 weeks to carb and a few to condition, I would say you certainly can lager a kit. but you need good temp control. I have a brew fridge and a brew freezer to really get the temp down for lagering. both controlled with inkbird controllers

I have used both Saflager s-23 and mangroves jacks lager yeast both with good results.

happy to be told I am not making lager....i drink it and enjoy it:whistle:

 

[Spike101uk]

Having just done my 8th lager kit with tap water straight from a hose, each kit having 4 weeks to ferment at 12.5degrees, 6 weeks to lager 3 weeks to carb and a few to condition, I would say you certainly can lager a kit. but you need good temp control. I have a brew fridge and a brew freezer to really get the temp down for lagering. both controlled with inkbird controllers

I have used both Saflager s-23 and mangroves jacks lager yeast both with good results.

happy to be told I am not making lager....i drink it and enjoy it:whistle:

Thanks for an actually helpful reply

What temp do you lager at, as close to 0 as can get, also what lager kits do you use and would fermenting at 11 be ok

 

[sdt7618]

Thanks for an actually helpful reply

What temp do you lager at, as close to 0 as can get, also what lager kits do you use and would fermenting at 11 be ok

I have tended to get the kit down to about 2 degrees, however the last one is going below that as I not have a freezer that will cope easily.

as regards kits I have done the coopers euro lager, enjoyed this, a bit malty for my taste but still nice.

I have been using the youngs harvest lager and pils kits as a base and have had 3 different hops for dry hopping as a trial to see what I like. ( cascade, my fav, mosaic, not fussed and now on to amarillo)

I have also done the coopers cervesa and dry hopped it with citra which has actually turned out pretty nice.


As for the fermenting temp I would look at what yeast you have and go middle of the range, mind do rest about 4-5 days in and ramp temp up to about 15 to give the yeast a good chance to clean up for a day or two then back down your normal fermenting temp. I have found it takes at least 3-4 weeks to really finish of. I dry hop after week 3, before transferring to another fv to get it off the yeast prior to 4-6 weeks at the low temp for lagering. Have not had a bad one yet. All very clean and clear, some just tastes better than others but that was part of the trial of the hops.

 

[ericmark]

Are you saying there are bacteria in tap water?
And why can't you lager beer made from a kit.
And why does a kit not produce 'proper' beer?

Lager is a method of brewing not a taste, it uses a very low brewing temperature and produces a beer designed to be stored for a long time, not sure how long as IPA was also designed to travel and be stored so think must be looking at years?

You can get both light and dark lagers but in the UK you only seem to get the light ones. May be there is a proper lager beer kit? But all the ones I have seen have dried not live yeast and dried yeast does not seem to work at 4 to 6 degrees C used to lager a beer, all the kits I have seen use temperatures far too high to be called lager.