Alternatives to Lagers in these temps
Posted: Wednesday Jul 25, 2007 7:32 pm
Well, my brewery (garage) ambient temp is currently varying from 13 - 16 degrees - great for Lagers. I have a lager which I am trialling from the fresh wort packs made by that crowd in St Peters in Sydney. The other is a Pilsner with enough Saaz to power the Czech Republic for a few days.
Anyway - I would dearly love to put down another brew, but keen to put something down a bit different... its not warm enough for Ale yeasts - so I am thinking I still need lager yeasts... Here is what I would like to make in the next few months:
A raspberry wheat beer (need it to warm up to about 18 degs so that needs to wait)
Ginger Beer
Cider
Corona clone for the start of summer
Question: Which would work now? Cider/Ginger beer with a champagne yeast, or does it need to be warmer for that too? Corona then?
The lager/pils are taking about 2 weeks to ferment, given the degrees - and not one bit of action, a very small krausen and no bubbling, but the gravity says it is working just fine, and it is tasting good.
So - ideas? If anyone wants to put something else in the mix, I am happy to try it!
Anyway - I would dearly love to put down another brew, but keen to put something down a bit different... its not warm enough for Ale yeasts - so I am thinking I still need lager yeasts... Here is what I would like to make in the next few months:
A raspberry wheat beer (need it to warm up to about 18 degs so that needs to wait)
Ginger Beer
Cider
Corona clone for the start of summer
Question: Which would work now? Cider/Ginger beer with a champagne yeast, or does it need to be warmer for that too? Corona then?
The lager/pils are taking about 2 weeks to ferment, given the degrees - and not one bit of action, a very small krausen and no bubbling, but the gravity says it is working just fine, and it is tasting good.
So - ideas? If anyone wants to put something else in the mix, I am happy to try it!