Lager/notty advice please!

[micmacmoc]

Brewing by the seat of my pants here, managed to wrangle a brew day....only having lager malt I thought I'd do a quick Hallertauer Herbrucker brew, 4.5Kg lager malt Hallertaeurs to 25 IBU, 23litre brew. Problem is that i've no lager yeast. I have re-hydrated a sachet of Nottingham. I seem to remember someone saying it ferments ok at around 12-15C without throwing off nasties. So if I make this up and ferment at 13C (ish) will it then make a drinkable 'lager'. My lagering fridge won't be free for a fortnight, but i guess a slow ferment may take that time. I should have made a golden ale really but as I say, seat of me pants brewing!

I have managed to wrangle Thursday free too, another brew beckons. Not a lager this time, a golden ale!

[phatboytall]

I brewed a 100% lager malt, 100% Saaz brew once, and used US-05. I fermented it as low as i could get, about 16-18c I recall. I didn't lager it, just bottled it.

The result was pretty good, sure it was no Urquell, it tasted "like a lager", but the result was plesant, like a commercial lager with better hopping.

But to my mates (Lager drinkers and occisional ale samplers), it was the greatest thing they had ever tasted!! Honestly! I had it and 10 other bottled ales on for my summer birthday party, all my mates who normally only touch the fizzy piss of the devil couldn't get enough of it.

I say go for it, don't tell anyone what process or yeast you used and see what they think. You'll be amazed how many people will be fooled by it.

[Andy__]

It should have a lot of the charactistics of a lager without actually being a lager.

I would be tempted to ferment a little warmer. You dont want to stress an ale yeast by fermenting too cold.

Anyway it should be a good beer IMO. Good Luck

[micmacmoc]

Thanks mates! I have it in the garage in a fermentor, will put my fish tank heater in at 18C then treat as an ale then. I'll leave my 'proper' lager in the fridge for a few more weeks.
Cheers!