Lager style beer with Nottingham??

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Whorst

Lager style beer with Nottingham??

Post by Whorst » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:01 pm

I need to brew for an Oktoberfest party coming up. I don't have the time or patience to brew real lager. My idea is to use authentic ingredients, but ferment cool with either Nottingham or 05. Can anyone shed some light on Nottingham fermented cool? I have never used this yeast. Also, would 05 be a better choice?

brewzone

Post by brewzone » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:11 pm

I did just that last year and was quite happy with the results.

Denny Conn wouldn't advocate it though!

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Aleman
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Post by Aleman » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:00 am

It's a better way of doing it than using a larger yeast fermented warm . . . you could try the anchor Steam beer yeast, but I've never tried it. I have fermented Nottingham at 16C (Pitched at 18C, then reduced once fermentation was underway) . . . Very, Very Clean . . . I've also used Saflager S23 at 16C . . . not as clean

Whorst

Post by Whorst » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:29 am

What about mash temperature? I here Nottingham really goes ape shit on a beer. I'm assuming mashing higher and adding some dextrins would help?

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Post by Aleman » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:39 pm

I don't take any particular precautions with mashing whenever I use Nottingham . . . and malto dextrin has no place in my brewery :D

bconnery

Post by bconnery » Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:03 pm

I'm thinking he was referring to using dextrin malt, or carapils, rather than malto-dextrin...
Whichever, mashing slightly higher won't hurt but for a psuedo or lager you want a slightly dryer finish anyway.

Either choice will be fine for a psuedo Octoberfest. Nottingham makes a good alt so that's probably your best choice. If you were saying a lighter coloured lager I'd suggest US05.

I've tasted lagers side by side with pseudo lagers at a club meet once and be warned, although the pseudo were quite nice beers they still lacked that little bit of crispness or clean background you get from a lager.
This was noted by all those in the tasting.

To get the clean and lagerish character you are still going to need to cold condition it a little.
Personally I think you are better off doing a lager, and just shortening the lager times.
I often make lagers with a 10/14 day ferment, 2 week conditioning/lagering.
With enough yeast to do the job, and the right yeast, they are very drinkable within that time frame.
I use s189 swiss lager yeast. It is very clean and produces minimal by products and so reduces the lagering time required.
Zurich Lager or something similar is the equivalent liquid, I believe.

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