California Common Carb Question

[TheManes]

I brewed up a California Common, fermented at 62 degrees, all good. My question is, after bottling, do I let these carb up at my fermentation temp or do I raise temp to 70 degrees like I do with other ales?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Raise them to 70.

 

[nebben]

I think it depends on how much priming sugar you added in this case.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I think it depends on how much priming sugar you added in this case.

Good point. I just assumed he used the typical amount since he didn't specify.

 

[Yooper]

They'll carb up best at 70 degres or so. If you didn't lager the beer, I would wait until they are carbed up and then stick them in the fridge for two weeks. I really like to "lager" my steam beer, as I think it gives it the best results.

 

[TheManes]

Thanks everyone! 70 degrees it is. And, yes, I used the normal amount of priming sugar, about 4.5oz of corn sugar (5 gal), sorry I forgot to specify.

 

[Zombie13]

They'll carb up best at 70 degres or so. If you didn't lager the beer, I would wait until they are carbed up and then stick them in the fridge for two weeks. I really like to "lager" my steam beer, as I think it gives it the best results.

Can you tell me some more about this? I plan to brew a batch of steam beer shortly and was just planning to let it condition the same way I have my other batches.

Also, I should bottle condition at 70deg? I've just been conditioning at fermentation temps (~64deg), what's the reason for the temp increase?

Z.

 

[Yooper]

Bottle conditioning at 70 is just a bit faster than at 64, that's all. They'll still carb up at lower temperatures, no problem.

To me, some of the awesomeness (is that a word?) of the steam beer is the fruitiness, combined with the lager-like finish. Fermenting with the San Francisco lager yeast at 60 degrees or so gives the fruitiness, and then lagering it afterwards seems to "clean it up" a bit. It's the way I've done almost all of my steam beers. (I have two recipes posted in my recipe pull-down).