Lager yeast for ale

[NeedsmoreHops]

I have started to assembly my AG kit, and, although I am ultimately aiming for a fermenting fridge, I want to build up equipment slowly to avoid causing panic with SWMBO. For my experimental brews so far I have used an aquarium heater in a larger fermenting bucket full of water (which really is a nats small) but it would be nice just to be able to stick the fermenting bucket out of the way somewhere and forget about it (this wold also avoid the daily temptation to peep).
As I am aiming for pale, clear, highly hopped ales rather than malty, sweet estery, fruity ales, would using a lager yeast be a feasible option so that the fermentation temperature would be less of an issue; it would be in the house so should always be between about 10 and 20 degrees? Would there be any drawbacks to doing this?
Cheers

 

[puravida]

For big hoppy pale ales your best bet is to use something like Safale US-05 or S-04 rather than a lager yeast.
Both will produce clean, crisp pale ales with little yeast character allowing the hops to shine.
Both are very happy at 18 degrees or so. Temperature consistency is important though so try and find a place where the temp does not vary too much.

Lager yeasts tend to like a colder temp to ferment. 10 degrees or so.

 

[NeedsmoreHops]

Thanks for the response. I tried us-05 in one of my experimental batches and was pleased with it as it produced a good beer and goes like a train when it is fermenting. I have had a couple of stuck brews and was worried about the temperature, but I will persevere with 05 (and 04 as well) aiming to keep a decent, steady temperature.

 

[rpt]

Nottingham Ale yeast is ok down to 14C and even 12C. See here.