I'm a total homebrew noob... I've only done 5 5 gallon batches since I started brewing again about 4 months ago... the last 2 I started doing all-grain.
Anyhow... while I was at my LHBS store picking up ingredients to do a second batch of Bee Cave Brewery Haus Pale Ale they gave me a flier for a competition that will be held on July 11. The main category for the competition is to do an organic Kölsch (6C)... though they're taking entries for 9 other styles in non-organic varieties.
I'm thinking of brewing the Kölsch, but am afraid if I brew it too soon, perhaps it will not age well. I do have a big chest freezer with external temperature controller that will allow fairly precise control of fermentation and lagering temperatures. Last year the winner of the contest got to have their recipe brewed by a local brew pub and served on tap there and in bottles at a local co-op. Anyhow, I think it would be a good way to get feedback for a beginning brewer.
I plan on brewing it in the next couple of weeks, doing primary fermentation at 55F until it completes, then put it in a 5 gal corney keg and lager at 33F until about 3 weeks before the competition... then force carbonate for 10 days at ideal pressure for style, then fill some bottles with a counter-pressure filler.
Is lagering for 3 months overkill?.. or will it just make for a better beer? Would I be better off to lager for a shorter period and have it in the bottle longer? Should I wait a while longer to start it? This will be my first attempted at a brew that is fermented on the cold side and lagered. I've been reading a bunch over the past couple of days on the style, and am excited to try it.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Anyhow... while I was at my LHBS store picking up ingredients to do a second batch of Bee Cave Brewery Haus Pale Ale they gave me a flier for a competition that will be held on July 11. The main category for the competition is to do an organic Kölsch (6C)... though they're taking entries for 9 other styles in non-organic varieties.
I'm thinking of brewing the Kölsch, but am afraid if I brew it too soon, perhaps it will not age well. I do have a big chest freezer with external temperature controller that will allow fairly precise control of fermentation and lagering temperatures. Last year the winner of the contest got to have their recipe brewed by a local brew pub and served on tap there and in bottles at a local co-op. Anyhow, I think it would be a good way to get feedback for a beginning brewer.
I plan on brewing it in the next couple of weeks, doing primary fermentation at 55F until it completes, then put it in a 5 gal corney keg and lager at 33F until about 3 weeks before the competition... then force carbonate for 10 days at ideal pressure for style, then fill some bottles with a counter-pressure filler.
Is lagering for 3 months overkill?.. or will it just make for a better beer? Would I be better off to lager for a shorter period and have it in the bottle longer? Should I wait a while longer to start it? This will be my first attempted at a brew that is fermented on the cold side and lagered. I've been reading a bunch over the past couple of days on the style, and am excited to try it.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated!