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Why Lager?
I know the basic difference between Lagers and Ales. The Yeast. But what kind of differences do these different yeasts, and the corresponding fermentation processes produce? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
I think that a lot of people feel that Lagers have cleaner taste to them and are often more clear than an Ale. I think that the biggest reason to use one over the other is based on personal preference. I personally like ales over lagers, so I don't brew too many lagers. Others, of course, prefer lagers, so they brew them more than ales. About the only difference that I can see that would cause a person who wanted to brew lagers not to is the need for a refridgerated fermentation/lagering session. A lot of brewers do not have this capability, so they don't brew laugers.
norcalnewb summed it up, but the technical answer is that lager yeast (s. carlsbergensis) can ferment the sugar raffinose, while ale yeast (s. cervevisiae) can't. so, lagers generally tend to be drier than ales, and due to the extended fermentation and aging, tend to be cleaner than ales.
(if you find it interesting to see that lagers are nemed after a brewer, Carlsberg, it's because their scientists were the first ones to identify the lager yeast...)
Thanks for the info Norcal! 
The apartment I live in came furnished with an extra fridge so I'm going to see what I can do to make it lager worthy. Then I'll be able to see the difference for myself.
Sounds like you are in good shape for a lager. Make sure to check the yeast's optimal temperature and confirm that you can get your refridgerator to that temp for the fermentation. You may need a Johnson Controls temperature controller, available from Northern Brewer or possibly your LBHS. I use one for my keggerator, which is a converted chest freezer. I used my keggerator for my California Common (Steam Beer) I made a few months ago. The Cali Common beer is a cross between a true lager and an ale, so it has a cooler fermentation temp than an ale.
I usually drink lager. I associate it with summer and warmer weather in general.
In the fall and winter I'm more apt to go for ale.
Does anyone else here tend to follow that trend?
While not quite the same trend, I do drink the lighter beers in the summer and darker, heavier beers in the winter. My summer brews tend to be IPA or Pale Ales (although a good Mexican lager is hard to beat on a hot day). In the winter, I love the Porters and Stouts. I am now getting ready for the cooler weather in Nor Cal and just brewed a Bourbon Vanilla Porter. Can't wait until it's ready.
I don't know, I'm a big fan of heavy/dark beers anywhere anytime.
Are the grains you would use to brew a lager different then the
grains you would use to brew an Ale?
Could you use the recipe for an Ale, then just use lager yeast?
Marv.
Ricardo wrote:
I usually drink lager. I associate it with summer and warmer weather in general.
In the fall and winter I'm more apt to go for ale.
Marv. wrote:
Are the grains you would use to brew a lager different then the
grains you would use to brew an Ale?
Could you use the recipe for an Ale, then just use lager yeast?
Marv.
we have to get you all to stop using Lager and Ale as a style descriptor. it's not, it's simply an indication of which type of yeast you use. for example, on a regular basis I brew up a cream ale that uses about 40% adjuncts, and is as light and crisp and thin as an american lager, yet it uses an ale yeast. contrast that to a doppelbock or a russian imperial stout, both of which use a lager yeast, and nobody's gonna ever call those light or thin...
and Marv, the answer to both your questions is "it depends on what you want your beer to taste like." there are four ingredients in beer, water, malt, hops, and yeast. you vary all four of those depending on how you want your resulting product to end up...
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