Lager & Ale: from the same basic recipe?

[HarkJohnny]

"The only obvious difference it the yeast, right?"

I pondered this last evening as I pulled a Sam Adams Boston ALE from a Brewmaster's pack (bought it for the Schwarzbier really). It tasted very similar to the Boston Lager, but just a little spicier and rougher.

So I was wondering if anyone has split a 10gal batch and made a lager of one and an ale of the other. If so, how were the results?

[newportstorm]

There are breweries that do/have done this. Some with good results. Even if lagering isn't an option for some homebrewers, a warm(er) ferment with a lager yeast could yield a neat hybrid style. Worth a shot.

Cheers!

[BrewDog]

Grog, CampAJohn, and I just did this (See the Dude, my brewery exploded thread for a funny pic of the aftermath).

Grog and John are using lager yeast in their 10 gals. I'm using 1007 (German Ale yeast) in my 5. This was primarily due to lack of space and the fact that I haven't finished my kegerator.

It's going to be interesting to see the difference. We'll keep you posted.

[HarkJohnny]

excellent... looking forward to it!

[unkle bik]

I always thought a brew using both lager and ale yeast was called a "cream ale."

Am I wrong to assume this?

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by unkle bik
I always thought a brew using both lager and ale yeast was called a "cream ale."

Am I wrong to assume this?


They are talking about boiling a big wort, and splitting it. One half lagered, the other as ale, not two different yeasts in one batch.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by HarkJohnny
excellent... looking forward to it!

Me too. This is interesting. give us a side by side comparison.

[kevin]

I believe a Cream Ale is a Lager. I think it's the name that confusing? I'm sure the pro's can elaborate on this.

Originally posted by unkle bik
I always thought a brew using both lager and ale yeast was called a "cream ale."

Am I wrong to assume this?

[HarkJohnny]

my understanding of cream ale was using a lager yeast at ale temps and then cold conditioning at lager

here's a good link i found explaing this along with "steam beer" which I just learned is the outdated term and is more properly called a California Common.... something new everyday! I tell ya!

http://www.allaboutbeer.com/homebrew/cream_ales.html

[unkle bik]

That link sums it up pretty well.

I have got to start watching the weather channel more often, though.

[steveh]

Originally posted by HarkJohnny
here's a good link i found explaing this along with "steam beer" which I just learned is the outdated term and is more properly called a California Common....

Not outdated (though it is an old term), just copywritten by Fritz Maytag. :rolleyes:

S.

[chazwicke]

I'll be seeing Fritz on Sunday. He is bringing some special beers for a tasting at the Brickskeller alson with principles from Portland and Mendicino.

[HarkJohnny]

mmmm.... mendocino! their Talon barleywine is yummy!

[chazwicke]

Barkley from Medicino is bringing a re-creation of the very first micro brewed beer. New Albion Ale. Mendicino rose, like a pheonix, from the ashes of New Albion. They have the old equiptment and several of the priciples worked at NA as well.

[YamahaXS]

Okay, here's an diversionary post, only partially related to the OPs original post....

I brewed a blonde ale on sunday, and since i pitched ontop of the yeast cake (WHITEs London Ale) from my previous batch, the beer fermented rather quickly. Anyways, to get to the point, I tasted the beer in my hydrometer (sample taken after the yeast was pitched) that had fermented down to just about 1.010 (after 3 days!) and the first thing I thought was it tastes like a LAGER.

recipe was pretty strait forward, but I only used Saaz for my flavor and aroma hops, something I have never done before, and the yeast strain is pretty new to me too.

[guildofevil]

Originally posted by HarkJohnny
my understanding of cream ale was using a lager yeast at ale temps and then cold conditioning at lager

Actually, that's California Common, as is described in the article.

Cream Ale, also described in the article linked by HarkJohnny, uses ale yeast, although it may be Krausened with lager yeast when it is cold conditioned, like a lager.

You can find a pretty succinct description of Cream Ale here:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/style/6/

Séan

[gallowd7]

Originally posted by YamahaXS
first thing I thought was it tastes like a LAGER.


I've had that happen with two of my last three ales. The first one never stopped tasting like a lager, but the second "aged" its way into an ale. I just figured that the first batch fermented too low (high 50's), the second batch was done no lower than 65.