[tschmidlin]

Well, keep in mind that it's 2112 which is supposed to stay cleaner at warmer temps anyway, so it will probably be fine.

[ynotbrusum]

Very interesting discussion.  I have had Leos' beers and if that is how he does it, then it is right to do.  I have taken the set it and forget it route with my lagers for years (50F for a month, then rack to keg), but I will have to try this stepping ramp approach next time.  Sounds like once the Krausen falls, there is no need for cool temperatures, until you cold crash for extended lagering (at the homebrew level in smaller fermenters).  I just do 10 gallon batches, so I doubt that I get ester suppression in a 15 gallon Speidel barrel fermenter....

[klickitat jim]

I think you can set it and forget it if your controller temp probe is measuring internal temp of the beer. But I don't. So I ferment with ambient probe and temp set a few degrees lower than I actually want, knowing that during active fermentation the beer will be a few degrees warmer. When your active fermentation slows, and the internal temp starts dropping,  your controller catches it and heats it up. Mine is ambient so it doesn't, so I have to watch and ramp it up a few. It keeps my beer from dropping too much and sending the yeast to bed.

This method I'm trying simply ties three different beers together so I'm taking advantage of those temp changes rather than having them work against me. Something I learned by trying to ferment three beers with the temp probe reading internal temp of just one of the three.

[ynotbrusum]

Let us know how it turns out, Jim.  That could be helpful for summertime, especially!  My basement is too warm for many ales as they start...

[denny]

Very interesting discussion.  I have had Leos' beers and if that is how he does it, then it is right to do.  I have taken the set it and forget it route with my lagers for years (50F for a month, then rack to keg), but I will have to try this stepping ramp approach next time.  Sounds like once the Krausen falls, there is no need for cool temperatures, until you cold crash for extended lagering (at the homebrew level in smaller fermenters).  I just do 10 gallon batches, so I doubt that I get ester suppression in a 15 gallon Speidel barrel fermenter....

Keep in mind that an approach for Leos may or may not be appropriate for us as homebrewers.  Take that info into account, then do what's right for you.

[ynotbrusum]

Very interesting discussion.  I have had Leos' beers and if that is how he does it, then it is right to do.  I have taken the set it and forget it route with my lagers for years (50F for a month, then rack to keg), but I will have to try this stepping ramp approach next time.  Sounds like once the Krausen falls, there is no need for cool temperatures, until you cold crash for extended lagering (at the homebrew level in smaller fermenters).  I just do 10 gallon batches, so I doubt that I get ester suppression in a 15 gallon Speidel barrel fermenter....

Keep in mind that an approach for Leos may or may not be appropriate for us as homebrewers.  Take that info into account, then do what's right for you.

Agreed, Denny - even a small craft set up may react totally differently than a 5-10 gallon batch.  I just think it is worth a try on a small scale to see what I get - if I get good results, then it will allow some simultaneous lager ending and ale beginning fermentations in my chest freezer, which will improve my summer ales that need to be fermented cooler than my basement temps in the summer.

[denny]

[

Agreed, Denny - even a small craft set up may react totally differently than a 5-10 gallon batch.  I just think it is worth a try on a small scale to see what I get - if I get good results, then it will allow some simultaneous lager ending and ale beginning fermentations in my chest freezer, which will improve my summer ales that need to be fermented cooler than my basement temps in the summer.

Totally agreed...that's what it's all about!

[klickitat jim]

The big thing is yeast choice. 2112 is technically a hybrid, though I find at 55° it's plenty lagery for me. Also highly flocculant. My house ale strains are good at low temps too, and high flocc. Its a sum of the parts situation. No single part is necessarily optimum. But so far I'm very impressed.

[Thirsty_Monk]

Very interesting discussion.  I have had Leos' beers and if that is how he does it, then it is right to do.  I have taken the set it and forget it route with my lagers for years (50F for a month, then rack to keg), but I will have to try this stepping ramp approach next time.  Sounds like once the Krausen falls, there is no need for cool temperatures, until you cold crash for extended lagering (at the homebrew level in smaller fermenters).  I just do 10 gallon batches, so I doubt that I get ester suppression in a 15 gallon Speidel barrel fermenter....

Keep in mind that an approach for Leos may or may not be appropriate for us as homebrewers.  Take that info into account, then do what's right for you.

For homebrewing you can start at 48F and go up from there.
I did this on homebrew scale and fermented lagers in 14 days before I went to bigger fermenters.
This can be strain dependent.
I use 2124 but 2112 is very good too.
I am into the opinion to use one yeast and learn it well.
Than control the flavor with temperature and pitching rate.

And yes I can not make Hefewaisen but I can do almost 80% of all beers with it.

Yeast companies hate me

[klickitat jim]

Thank you Leos!!!! I was thinking either I was nuts, or a voice in the wilderness.

[garc_mall]

Thank you Leos!!!! I was thinking either I was nuts, or a voice in the wilderness.

Those two options are not mutually exclusive.

[klickitat jim]

Sometimes,  huh?