altbier from BCS: lagering temp?

[jimlin]

I was thinking about trying to brew the Dusseldorf Altbier from BCS. My basement temps in the winter are in the mid-50s. Jamil's recipe (Cowboy alt) calls to use german ale yeast (I'd use Wyeast 1007) and ferment at 60°. It also calls for lagering 4 weeks before bottling.

Do I need to worry about lagering at a temp lower than the fermentation temp of 60°. I assume that after active fermentation is done, if I remove the fermwrap and leave it on the cement floor, I could get it down to the low 50s but I don't have refrigeration for brewing. Hoping the lagering period only means at the fermentation temp, but if it means 40s, I will have to skip this until I (hopefully) get an extra fridge to use for homebrewing.

[dannypo]

Layering means cold storage when it comes to beer. Usually as close to freezing as possible.

[jimlin]

Thanks dannypro.
Figured that was the case. Actually considering using the friedge in our in-law apt seeing that the in-laws are in FL til summer. Would just need to remove some shelves and the bottom drawers.

[jimlin]

One more question:

If I follow the BCS instructions and lager for a month before bottling, do I need to add some dry yeast to the bottling solution? If it's been lagered for a month in the mid 30s, I would imagine the Wyeast 1007 will have dropped out and left me w/o the yeast needed to carb up in the bottle.

[alan_marks]

Here's a silly question, but may help...

...what yeast did you use?

There should be enough yeast in suspension if either ale or lager yeast, but I wouldn't do a transfer to another vessel, just let it rest for a while at 50*F. By definition lager means "to rest". Most turn of the century brewing concerns used caves just above freezing to do this. Charley P documents lagering at warmer temps with satisfactory results in his books, its just about letting the lil beasties do their thing over time.

hth,
Alan

[jimlin]

Alan, haven't brewed this yet but the yeast will be Wyeast 1007 German ale yeast. From what I can find on the subject of dusseldorf alts, they tend to be brewed cool for ale, and layered as if it's a lager (cold), but I can't be sure that's what JZ's instruction mean in BCS. He just says be sure to lager 4 weeks before bottling

Here's a silly question, but may help...

...what yeast did you use?

There should be enough yeast in suspension if either ale or lager yeast, but I wouldn't do a transfer to another vessel, just let it rest for a while at 50*F. By definition lager means "to rest". Most turn of the century brewing concerns used caves just above freezing to do this. Charley P documents lagering at warmer temps with satisfactory results in his books, its just about letting the lil beasties do their thing over time.

hth,
Alan

[jimlin]

Plusis it wise to keep it on the yeast in the primary that long?

[Blunt]

In my experience I have found it helpful to repitch some yeast in beers that have been lagered for a longer period of time and at very cool temps. I have found that the beers that I did extended lagering with and did not pitch extra yeast did carbonate over time but the ones that I pitched extra yeast carbonated quicker and had a better head. At bottling I would try to pitch yeast that is close to the same yeast you used to make the beer with though so you don't change the intended flavor. Hope that helps.