Our Lager, Which Art in Barrels, Hallowed by Thy Drink....

And remember, boy and girls: right now is the prime time of the year to be brewing lagers. From November 1 to April 1, the weather in the Portland area is perfect for fermenting, aging and “lagering” all those crisp, clean beers that you will want to be drinking in the heat of Summer.

Making a lager is no more difficult than brewing an ale, it just takes longer and it needs to be kept colder. Usually people leave their fermenters in an unheated garage or porch or some other frigid part of your house while it is fermenting and, also, while it is settling in the secondary.

The basic most simple process involves brewing your beer, as normal, on the stove. When done, pitch your yeast just like always have and keep the beer indoors - warm fr about twelve hours - UNTIL you see activity in the primary fermenter. Immediately move the fermenter into your unheated area; this area should be between 40 and 55 degrees F. during both the day and night. You will see the activity in the airlock slow down, and the fermentation plod along, slow and steady.

When the activity in the airlock slows down to one bubble every three to four minutes (this MAY take four weeks or more), give it a few more days, then transfer the beer into a glass secondary, let sit for one week more, and then move the carboy into the coldest place you can find: 30 to 55 degrees is acceptable, but below 40 is best.

Let sit for three to six more weeks and then bottle as normal. Leave the bottles between 50 and 60 degrees for at least four more weeks, and then enjoy on a nice Summer’s day. We have recipes at the store and more instructions on the web site. Enjoy!!