Altbier lager using German Ale Yeast

I have read several threads on this site, as well as the lagering section in Palmer's book but I want to get some feedback if possible.

I have had good fermentation, and things have really started to slow down so I am getting ready to rack to secondary and begin the lagering process. But I am wondering what could happen when I end the lager process bring up the temp and begin to bottle (or keg in my case). Will the German Ale yeast survive the lagering process and be able to reactivate with the primer to induce carbonation?

Worst case I can put the entire batch into the keg and force carbonate.

Thanks,

-Pete G

Yeah, it should work fine. As long as you don't ice the beer then the yeast should be fine in there for several weeks. It may take a bit longer for them to carbonate but it should work.

Yeast should survive, but the carbonation will take much longer time, like 3-4 weeks instead of 10 days. It would be better to add some fresh yeast to the beer in bottling bucket. Something highly flocculent, like Saflager W34/70 - half of teaspoon should be enough for 5-6 gallons.

zgoda said:

Yeast should survive, but the carbonation will take much longer time, like 3-4 weeks instead of 10 days.

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This. Just make sure to suck up a tiny bit of yeast into your bottling bucket when you rack to bottle and everything will be fine. If you're like me, that'll happen anyway even if you're trying not to.

I cold crash beers all the time and the yeast will carbonate, but sometimes it takes longer than I'm used to. I "lagered" a stout and best bitter at 38* for two to three weeks each and they were perfectly carbed after 15 or so days. It might take longer but it'll get done.