Attention: Check out the new BKB Home Brewing Blog
Lagering
No, I was going by the bottles being carbed already, and letting them cellar over time....not bottle lagering...if that makes sense....
How well does the yeast typically hold up during the lagering process? I have seen some articles lately about adding yeast at bottling time? Is that necessary with a lager or is that more related to the time factor?
The closer to freezing that you lager at and the longer you lager for the more likely you'll need to add yeast at bottling. I've only done a few and my lagering temps were pretty low (34 F) for 6 weeks and everyone of them has been carbonated to my expectations within two weeks (stored at 65 F.) Some yeast may handle the colder temps and longer duration better than others, however.
Picking up the "free" freezer tomorrow night. The fact that it is an upright is being overlooked by the fact that it is free ! Any advice on which external thermostat works best?
I have an analog ranco controller from MoreBeer.com.
They are currently out of stock though I believe, but you shoul dbe able to find one at any other store.
I have seen where most replies here as well as on other threads talk about "chest freezers.Is that simply because of them having more space?
More space and they are a little easier to manipulate the fittings on the tops of the kegs.
In my upright I only have a few inches to fuddle with the fittings when I want to change them or whatever.
The other benefit of a chest freezer is that you can make a collar for it, and then there is no drilling into the fridge required. That way it can always be used as a freezer again without all the tap handles and stuff hanging out of it.
get a didgital ranco from ebay, they can be found all over ebay for around 45 dollars, all you have to do is wire it with a cheap 14 guage extension cord.
EXTREMELY EASY TO DO!
that was you can have a digital thermostat for the same price or cheaper than tha analogs sold at homebrew sites. Basically they just wire them and charge you 30 bucks for a 5 dollar extension cord and 10 minutes worth of time.
BTW: while analogs are not difficult to use, the digiital therms are just so damn nice it's hard not to spend the extra coin. you simply set target temp, temp differential (# of degrees the temp will change from target before it kicks in, Farenheit or celcius, and away she goes.)
In the summer, I have a local produce stand. I always have tremendous spoiliage due to the heat. I decided late last year, I was going to make a large 'fridge. I haven't had time to make it yet, but what I have in mind is a 2x4 structure, heavily insulated with a window air conditoner in the end. If it's a small enough space, and a large enough BTU a/c, it should cool it down nicely.
That then lends itself to the idea of a cheap 'lagering box.'
Perhaps, get a refrigerator box from the local appliance store, through it on the floor, stuff a window air conditioner in the end. Seems like everyone anymore has window air conditioners stuffed on a shelf in their garage. Dunno how it would work out, seems like it would.