fermenting, carbonating, maturing and storing at one temp

[drbell]

I asked this at the bottom of a different thread, but figured it might be useful to others and so deserved its own thread.

I have turned the cupboard under the stairs into my brewery (see pic here: http://bellsbeer.wordpress.com/2008/03/ ... e-brewery/ ). I use this one space, which in winter was about 17 degrees, and is warming up a little now, for the fermenting bucket, and then I put bottled beer straight in here to leave to carbonate and mature, and leave it hear until I drink it.

Am I missing out on not having a warm week? (I assumed this would simply mean that carbonation took longer, or is there some other magic going on that I am missing out on?)

[ChrisG]

Hi DrBell.

Ive been following your site for a while now and have converted my under stair cupboard too.

I dont see a problem with carrying out the three processes in the same area.

Did this for my Coopers Mexican lager and it turned out to be the best kit yet (ok only done four so far, but wow!).

For Ales I still use my airing cupboard but let the second fermentation happen in the under stair cupboard, mainly so I don't have to carry 40 bottles upstairs.

About to get Geordie Lager on the go soon and will use the cupboard again.

[drbell]

Cheers for the reply ChrisG. Whats the Coopers mexican lager like? I have been toying with doing a mexican lager for the summer for one of the next couple of batches... (Might do the Coopers Ginger beer first though)

[ChrisG]

Cheers for the reply ChrisG. Whats the Coopers mexican lager like? I have been toying with doing a mexican lager for the summer for one of the next couple of batches... (Might do the Coopers Ginger beer first though)

Dont have much experience yet of other lagers but this beats any commercial brewed lager. I wont have to buy tins anymore coz this one was so good.

Wife likes it too, so she can now see the benefit of Home Brewing

I used 1 kg of brewers sugar and got a great tasting, clear & crisp lager but I have heard using half light spray malt makes it even better.

BTW I have photos on my site of the brew if you want to take a look.

[drbell]

Thanks for the reply. I checked out the pictures. It looks good. Might be the next brew for me. (I was going to do a ginger beer next, but it seems this wants to be drunk rather quickly, so a lager now, and ginger beer after that should give me two nice summer drinks in a couple of months

[woodworm]

nice cupboard-under-the-stairs-brewery (envious)
i've just started brewing uder the stairs but mine doesn't look anything like that ..... think it's time for a tidy up