California Common Cloudy Secondary???

[TroubleBrewing72]

First time brewing a California Common. Also first time using a lager yeast, much less using it at the higher temp range. When I was racking to the secondary, to dry hop, the beer looked nice and clear till I got to the bottom of the bucket and some yeast clouded the secondary. I figured no problem it will clear out as usual. However, into the second week in the secondary, the beer is still cloudy and I am now having doubts and feel that something is not right. (See picture)

OG was around 1.050 and when I racked it the FG was 1.009, little below the mark, but okay. I took another gravity reading today and it is still 1.009. The fermentation temp in my fermentation chamber was around 68 degrees.

Is this normal for a lager yeast at higher a temp? Am I just being paranoid because I am using a new yeast outside my normal comfort zone or do I have some infection going on in the secondary?

I plan to leave it in the secondary another week before I keg it. (Maybe longer???)

Any input would be great.

 

[etrain666]

Cali Common is not really a lager yeast as I am sure you know. It will act like an ale yeast at 68 degrees and you'll get more esters. I try to ferment it at 58 degrees and then raise it to the mid/high 60s after the fermentation is 90% done to let the yeast clean up. I love to use it, one of my new favorite yeasts. Do you have the ability to cold crash before you bottle? That will probably clear it right up.

 

[TroubleBrewing72]

I half way thought about trying to cold crash it before I keg it. (Normally I let it cold crash before I force carb it).

Should I go ahead and crash it to 40 degrees?

 

[afr0byte]

Cali Common is not really a lager yeast as I am sure you know. It will act like an ale yeast at 68 degrees and you'll get more esters. I try to ferment it at 58 degrees and then raise it to the mid/high 60s after the fermentation is 90% done to let the yeast clean up. I love to use it, one of my new favorite yeasts. Do you have the ability to cold crash before you bottle? That will probably clear it right up.

Perhaps I'm interpreting your words incorrectly, but cali common yeast definitely is a lager yeast. If you mean that it doesn't act like a normal lager yeast, then yes I agree.

 

[etrain666]

It's considered a hybrid I believe. If you try to ferment it at cooler lager temps, you may not get a very good ferment (this is my guess based on recommended temps from Whitelabs). And vice versa, you want to stay on the cooler range of ales.

 

[Silverbullet]

Brewed a few Cali Commons in the past and they've always cleared up within 3 or 4 weeks, regardless of secondary or not. How long was it in primary? Total time in secondary? I see you reverence "into the second week in secondary"....
I've never dry hopped a Cali Common, only used NB and experimented with Centennial and Kent Goldings during the boil or flameout. What are you using to dry hop? Just curious....

 

[afr0byte]

It's considered a hybrid I believe. If you try to ferment it at cooler lager temps, you may not get a very good ferment (this is my guess based on recommended temps from Whitelabs). And vice versa, you want to stay on the cooler range of ales.

Amber hybrid is the BJCP category. However it's actually is a lager yeast genetically. White Labs evens says you can use it just fine at normal lager temps. Also, White Labs calls it San Francisco Lager yeast.

 

[TroubleBrewing72]

Brewed a few Cali Commons in the past and they've always cleared up within 3 or 4 weeks, regardless of secondary or not. How long was it in primary? Total time in secondary? I see you reverence "into the second week in secondary"....
I've never dry hopped a Cali Common, only used NB and experimented with Centennial and Kent Goldings during the boil or flameout. What are you using to dry hop? Just curious....

Two weeks in the primary and two weeks planned for the secondary with fermentation chamber set to 66 degrees. (That's my usual time frame)

Dry hopping with 1oz of Cascade.

Since you asked about the dry hop, here is the full hop schedule I used:

.5 oz NB 17.4 IBU - 60 min
.25 oz NB 8.0 IBU - 45 min
.5 oz Cascade 8.8 IBU - 30 min
.5 oz Cascade 5.7 IBU- 15 min
.25 oz NB 1.7 IBU- 5 min
1 oz Cascade - DH 2 weeks in secondary

41.7 IBU Total - 5 gallon batch

 

[Silverbullet]

Sounds interesting! I usually go 1oz NB for 60 min, .5oz @ 15, .5 oz @ 5min and 1oz NB at flameout. IBU ends up nearly the same as yours in the 42-45 range. Have subbed Cent. and KG between the 30min and flameout with good results as well. Will have to try Cascade and dry hop for my next one.
Your time frame and temps are in line with what I usually do as well....66 deg. for 3-4 weeks primary and bottle. Strange yours is so cloudy....

 

[TroubleBrewing72]

Talked with a few of the guys form my HBC tonight and they think I may have gotten some infection when I racked it.

Another thought wast to add some gelatin to clear it up. I may give this a try since it can't hurt it.

 

[etrain666]

Amber hybrid is the BJCP category. However it's actually is a lager yeast genetically. White Labs evens says you can use it just fine at normal lager temps. Also, White Labs calls it San Francisco Lager yeast.

Whatever you prefer. Yes, it is called a lager, yes it can ferment at higher the normal lager temps as well as typical lager temps. My experience has been fermenting in the high 50s for a faster ferment, retain clean taste and bypass lengthy lagering.

 

[afr0byte]

Whatever you prefer. Yes, it is called a lager, yes it can ferment at higher the normal lager temps as well as typical lager temps. My experience has been fermenting in the high 50s for a faster ferment, retain clean taste and bypass lengthy lagering.

Obviously it's a rather unique lager yeast, but my point was that it's a lager yeast, not a hybrid yeast. I don't deny that it can ferment at higher temps and still be clean.

 

[diegobonatto]

I had the same issue with my Cali Common after dry hopping. The haze is common, and it is called hop haze. It is not an infection...

 

[Silverbullet]

I had the same issue with my Cali Common after dry hopping. The haze is common, and it is called hop haze. It is not an infection...

That would explain why I haven't had that happen with my commons since I haven't dry hopped any of them....

 

[TroubleBrewing72]

I had the same issue with my Cali Common after dry hopping. The haze is common, and it is called hop haze. It is not an infection...

Hop haze? (quick google...)

Okay, that makes some sense. However, I drop hop my APA and IPA batch's with relatively little haze. Although I do filter through a mesh bag when kegging, but they don't look anywhere as hazy as this bad boy.

I dropped in so gelatin last night to see if it will drop some of the haze before I keg on Sunday. If I still have the haze, I'll just avoid the dry hop on the next batch so I can keep the appearance to style.