Not the same Lager question

OK with all of the global warming going on(ha ha please I was just joking, don't respond to that) I mean...with the mild winter expected, my garage will probably not stay below 40F for any consistent length of time. Meaning: I may have 29-35f for 3 weeks and then 4 days at 45f or so. Is it even worth trying a munich helles with such inconsistencies?
No I am not going to enter it in competition, no I don't expect perfection, but if it will end up really fruity or have off flavors I would just as soon wait until I have a lagerator(maybe 7-8 months off).
I know that there isn't a finite answer, just some opinions from some lagerers....(?)

honestly, regardless of climate change, etc., I wouldn't try lagering without a fridge/freezer and a temp controller. That's just me. I like to have more control than muvuh naytcha affords me.

Yeah I am leaning that way, if something goes wrong with it, it would be hard to narrow down after 4 months at the mercy of MOTHER.

Well, even though I personally own 5 fridges, I don't have a fridge for lagering. (well, I guess I could use one but that's another story). So, I use my Yooper Lagerator (see my gallery for pix). Anyway, it's just an Igloo cooler that I made a new lid for so the airlock sticks out. My basement is around 50 degrees (perfect for primary and the beginning of secondary) and by adding water and then ice bottles to it, I can actually lager for 4-6 weeks in it during the winter.

I change the frozen water bottles every 3 days or so, once it's cold. To drop the temp is easy- first add water and then add 1 water bottle (frozen) at a time to gradually drop it about 5 degrees per day. It's definitely not a perfect system but it works! I keep a floating thermometer in the water so I can just pull it up and look to monitor the temperature.

If your temperatures won't freeze (and then break your carboy!), I don't see why something like that wouldn't work. The water would keep the temperature swings from being severe, since it takes a long, long time to warm it and also a long time to cool.

If you are worried about the water bath freezing, you could go to the swimming pool supply store and pick up some glycol to put in the bath instead. It won't freeze but will keep the temp steady.

You shouldn't get a fruity helles just because you lager at 45F for a few days. If you truly are lagering, the fermentation is complete, so your potential ester production is nil. The yeast may be doing other stuff in there, but it ain't worried about making esters.

In your case, I would say that your beer just won't clear as quickly. I don't know of any off flavors that should result from 45F.


TL

Do you have a basement??? I don't know from where you are posting (WTF is The Ville????), so I can't venture to guess. If you do have a basement you might want to scout out various areas in said basement-see what you temps are in certain sections. For instance, in one corner of my basement in winter i usually get a consistent 45-50deg F. If I go closer to my boiler, it's more like 65F. All I'm trying to say is that a basement's temp is going to be a lot more stable than a garage, no matter what time of year it is.

Hey Matt, glad to see you're giving the ol' Helles a go. I agree with TexLaw. As long as it doesn't get too high, it should be fine. Do I understand your 2nd post correct? 4 months lagering? I think 4 to 6 weeks is plenty for a Helles. I lagered 4-5 weeks on my Helles and it's my best beer yet (ales included)!

Right on Bernie, I am actually in Louisville, Ky. I have a heat pump, so there is not quite the residual heat of a boiler, but it just doesn't seem to get that cold down there..... HOLD THE PHONE!!!! There is a wierd little crawl space that is fairly cold....hmmmmmmmmmm..3.5 feet high...could fit about 35 carboys..enough fantasizing.
I wish I could hook my digital thermometer up to an AC adapter, I will have to check on that.

Thanks again Keith! I am going to get it rolling. Thanks all for talking me back into it!
I respect your opinion too Evan, but for my first, I guess I will just roll the dice!