Help with yeast for an old Geordie lager kit please!!!!

[damian1978]

Hello everyone. Ive recently found some old kits hiding away in a cupboard which I seem to remember buying when Boots were clearing out their homebrew stuff some years ago. I've got the following;

2X Boots Lager 1.6Kg 40 pint kit - expired Sept 2003
1X Boots London Bitter Special Beer Kit 1.65Kg 40 pint kit - expired Sept 2002
1X Geordie Bitter 1.6Kg 40 pint kit - expired Dec 2003
1X Geordie Lager 1.6Kg 40 pint kit - expired Dec 2003

I've dedcided to kick off the Geordie Lager kit as I've heard many people say it's a nice refreshing pint, similar to something like, say, Fosters. It's not a really ancient kit and I'm sure it's going to be fine, but I'm not so sure about the yeast. I've been to one of the two homebrew shops I use and they didn't have any 'lager yeast' and so in the end I bought a sachet of Safale US-05 yeast which I'm told is an American yeast and 'probably ok' for a lager. Now I'm home, I'm not so sure because it definately says 'ale yeast' on the packet. In fairness the guy in the shop isn't the regular bloke and admitted he didn't brew beer himself - only wine.

Does this yeast sound OK for my Geordie lager kit or is it not suitable? I'm half tempted to just use the yeast with the kit and see what happens. Or is this a silly idea?

Any advice really appreciated!

Damian

[thedistiller]

That yeast is fine

[EoinMag]

Unless you're going to be properly temperature controlling your lager process then an ale yeast is the proper one to use, only worry about lager yeasts if you decide to move on to proper lagers.
Without temperature control they're just pale ales anyway, I reckon the Geordie kit originally will have been an ale yeast anyway.

[damian1978]

Thanks very much for the advice guys - I'll use the safale I bought today.

Cheers!

[EoinMag]

As said, unless you get into this to the extent of being able to ferment the lager at a constant 15C and then decide to store (Lager is the German word for store) the beer for a while between 0-4c then don't bother with lager yeasts. It's a specialist yeast and needs specialist conditions.

[damian1978]

I hadn't considered that at all! But now you've said, it all makes sense. I didn't know that Lager was German for store! I guess you learn something new every day! I do intend going into all grain brewin in the future, when I've built up some equipment and I dare say I might have a go at a proper lager, but for the time being I'll see how the Geordie kit goes. I've got an Olde Home Wrecker ready to bottle up in the meantime!......

Cheers
Damian