Bottle Conditioning Question

In a week I will be bottling an Old Brown Dog Ale clone and have a question on bottle conditioning. The instructions say to bottle and age @ 55-60F for 3 weeks but from everything I've read on this forum, it's suggested to be @ 70F for 3 weeks. Do I follow the instructions as written, or do I condition @ 70F for 3 weeks, then condition cool? Thanks.

70 for three weeks

I'm with Brett - it would take most ale yeasts a long time to bottle carbonate at 55 F. But, after they are carbonated, bottle storing/conditioning them at 55 F could have some value, in terms of aging, melding flavors, etc.

Like the others, I'd keep the bottles on the warmer side for at least the initial few weeks. It doesn't have to be 70, but as long as it's at a temp suitable for that yeast to ferment, it will carb. It just takes longer to carb and condition at lower temps. But if you were to go down to 55 as it suggests you may never get it to carb because it could be too cold for the yeast to really work.

So, give it about 3 weeks in the 65-70 range somewhere so it can carb up, and then if you want to do some longer term aging then moving it someplace even cooler is also just fine. It will continue to condition some even at cellar temps.

Thanks!