bottle carb/condition temp for steam beer?

[jimlin]

Just bottled the cal common beer from BCS. Fermented at 60° for the first week or so, then let up come up to 65° where it finished up for 2 weeks. Should I just store the bottles in the basement where they should hold around 65°, or do I carb where I typically carb my ales, around 70?

[brewinhard]

Let the carbonate in the bottles at typical ale temps (70's). When they are fully carbonated and conditioned properly, you can then move them to cold storage so they clean up even more nicely.

[jimlin]

Let the carbonate in the bottles at typical ale temps (70's). When they are fully carbonated and conditioned properly, you can then move them to cold storage so they clean up even more nicely.

Thanks. I should've known as this is what I did with the other hybrid I did (altbier) a while back. Hope to have a second fridge in the basement in the next week or two.

[jimlin]

My cal common finished at 1.014. I bottled and stored around 70 for 2 weeks to carb up. Have moved a case of it to my basement/beer fridge. Had some in there for a couple days and tried on, just to see... I know the intent is to lager in the bottles for a few weeks.

There's definitely an odd odor/taste to it. Not sure how to describe it, but it's not "good". Maybe it's associated with the sulfur smell the initial ferment gave off. Hoping time in the fridge makes the difference.

Anyone have experience with steam beers and what they might taste like when too young?

[Juan De Fuca]

I brewed the BCS all grain Cal Common last year, and didn't mess with lagering, or extra conditioning time. Went straight from primary (2 weeks) to bottles, carb/conditioned for the usual 2 weeks at 70, as you did, and began drinking right away. I remember it being very good right off the bat. I don't remember whether the book suggests lagering this style, as it does for the altbier recipes.
I am far from an expert when it comes to lagering or conditioning, but what I've gleaned from reading, listening, etc. is that lagering in the bottle will allow the beer to crisp, clear, meld, and/or mellow, but it will not allow for the removal of some of the off flavors that need to be scrubbed out while in a vented container, and/or while sitting on yeast cake (depending on the off flavor). I read an Ashton Lewis article in BYO once that summed it pretty nicely. I don't remember which issue, or the exact subject of the article, but he was basically saying, what goes in the bottle, stays in the bottle.
I hope your issue clears up, this a great beer! Love northern brewer hops.

[jimlin]

I brewed the BCS all grain Cal Common last year, and didn't mess with lagering, or extra conditioning time. Went straight from primary (2 weeks) to bottles, carb/conditioned for the usual 2 weeks at 70, as you did, and began drinking right away. I remember it being very good right off the bat. I don't remember whether the book suggests lagering this style, as it does for the altbier recipes.
I am far from an expert when it comes to lagering or conditioning, but what I've gleaned from reading, listening, etc. is that lagering in the bottle will allow the beer to crisp, clear, meld, and/or mellow, but it will not allow for the removal of some of the off flavors that need to be scrubbed out while in a vented container, and/or while sitting on yeast cake (depending on the off flavor). I read an Ashton Lewis article in BYO once that summed it pretty nicely. I don't remember which issue, or the exact subject of the article, but he was basically saying, what goes in the bottle, stays in the bottle.
I hope your issue clears up, this a great beer! Love northern brewer hops.

Yeah, Jamil calls for lagering like the alt. I brewed the Cowboy alt and it turned out great. Bottled, carbed, then stored in the fridge to lager in the bottle. I'm wondering if the bottle I tried just didn't have the yeast drop well enough. I was careful pouring, but I didn't notice much in the way of any sludge/sediment at the bottom of the bottle like I got with the altbier. Never used the 2112 yeast before. Fingers crossed.

[brewinhard]

Could it be that you are not used to the Northern Brewer hops? They can come across as "woodsy, earthy, and even minty" some might say. That combined with some sulfur production might be the cause of your off flavor or aroma.

Let the beers cold condition for a couple weeks and try another one (or three). That should give the beer some time to mellow out and allow the sulfur to dissipate.

If it comes across as a buttery flavor or aroma, that could be from diacetyl. This can be reduced by allowing your primary fermentation to rise to the high 60's F during the last 1/3 of fermentation allowing the yeast to clean up after itself (diacetyl rest). Not sure how necessary that would be for that yeast though.

[jimlin]

Could it be that you are not used to the Northern Brewer hops? They can come across as "woodsy, earthy, and even minty" some might say. That combined with some sulfur production might be the cause of your off flavor or aroma.

Let the beers cold condition for a couple weeks and try another one (or three). That should give the beer some time to mellow out and allow the sulfur to dissipate.

If it comes across as a buttery flavor or aroma, that could be from diacetyl. This can be reduced by allowing your primary fermentation to rise to the high 60's F during the last 1/3 of fermentation allowing the yeast to clean up after itself (diacetyl rest). Not sure how necessary that would be for that yeast though.

I had given the fermenter a good rest at 65-67 after the heavy activity was done at 60. Wasn't getting buttery. And I've used NB hops (maybe not as late addition hops though) in the past. Hard to describe now, but it makes me think the yeast still in the bottled beer may have not flocculated and settled yet. Hoping a long rest in the fridge (40°) will help. I'll continue to check.... probably one over this weekend, another next weekend, etc.