Secondary fermentation
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According to Wyeast its temp range is 55-68° F (13-20° C). How long has it been fermenting?
I think the 35 degrees is probably due to the fact that many people like to 'lager' Alt biers after fermentation is complete. If you fermented that strain good and cool, it should be clean enough, but it doesn't hurt to cold condition it either. The term 'Altbier' comes from the German term 'old' or 'aged' beer, these beers were traditionally brewed with ale yeast (they didn't have lager yeast yet) and then cool aged in caves. Alt is like the OG lager, before lager was lager.
It will be in primary for 2weeks this Tuesday. I had it between 68-70 degrees using a wet towel/fan and ice. I know the wyeast German ale is optimum at 55-66 and did the best I could. (it did require a blow-off/ it went crazy for about 72 hrs)
My confusion/question comes from ibrewer (which works with northern brewer) which says secondary should be at 35 and the actual instructions don't give any temp for secondary. Just checking if I should lager secondary or lager at a different stage.
My confusion/question comes from ibrewer (which works with northern brewer) which says secondary should be at 35 and the actual instructions don't give any temp for secondary. Just checking if I should lager secondary or lager at a different stage.
You'd lager after primary, when FG is stable over a few days.
By "getting close" do you mean calendar-wise or gravity-wise? Brewing instructions are not terribly good, you want to make your decisions based on the beers gravity, not the calendar. When the beer has been stable for several days..i.e. has reached it's Final Gravity, then start your lagering. There is no need to rack it to a different vessel, leave it in the primary vessel for the entire time. Alts and Kolschs do very well with a 4-6 week lagering period.
