Home brewing isn’t restricted to brewing only ales. You can also home brew your own lagers. Home brewing lager provides a few challenges but it’s not difficult, if you remain patient, follow instructions carefully, and maintain correct temperature levels. Lager makes up the majority of the beer market, with respect to commercial beer sales. On the other hand, whilst most beer drinkers today likely started to drink lager style beer, most home brewers start beer making by producing ale type beers.
There are lots of reasons why this is the case. Lager style beers are distinguished from ale style beers by the different types of yeast that they use. Ale is produced using top-fermenting yeast, while lager is brewed using a top-fermenting yeast. Bottom-fermenting yeast strains, such as the type used in lager, work optimally in cold temperatures. In addition, lager beers have to undergo a process known as secondary conditioning, which can often take weeks, sometimes months, depending on the lager.
The effect is that lager beers most often have a crisper, cleaner taste than that of traditional ale. Top-fermenting yeasts, used in ales, are easier to use and aren’t so sensitive to temperature. Top fermenting yeasts also ferment and mature faster. For these reasons, home brewers will often start the hobby by brewing ales. Ales are more forgiving to brew and small errors can easily be masked.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t produce high-quality lager beers at home. With patience and by following a good recipe, under the correct temperature conditions, a homebrewer can turn-out lagers on a par, if not better, than a large-scale brewery.
There are lots of reasons why this is the case. Lager style beers are distinguished from ale style beers by the different types of yeast that they use. Ale is produced using top-fermenting yeast, while lager is brewed using a top-fermenting yeast. Bottom-fermenting yeast strains, such as the type used in lager, work optimally in cold temperatures. In addition, lager beers have to undergo a process known as secondary conditioning, which can often take weeks, sometimes months, depending on the lager.
The effect is that lager beers most often have a crisper, cleaner taste than that of traditional ale. Top-fermenting yeasts, used in ales, are easier to use and aren’t so sensitive to temperature. Top fermenting yeasts also ferment and mature faster. For these reasons, home brewers will often start the hobby by brewing ales. Ales are more forgiving to brew and small errors can easily be masked.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t produce high-quality lager beers at home. With patience and by following a good recipe, under the correct temperature conditions, a homebrewer can turn-out lagers on a par, if not better, than a large-scale brewery.