Conditioning Kölsch and Calif. Common

[paint_it_black]

I have a Kölsch recently racked to secondary, and a California common about ready to be racked to secondary. As these are both sort-of ale/lager hybrids, I thought my query could be applied to both. I'm wondering how one generally goes about conditioning these two styles (I have never made either of them before).
I bottle, I do not keg. As I understand, Kölsch should be lagered. Can this be sufficiently done by bottling, letting condition at room temp for 3 weeks, then cold-conditioning in my fridge? What sort of temp am I shooting for here?
As to the C.C., are these typically lagered, or just bottle-conditioned as a typical ale?
Any other tips or suggestions?

Thanks!
Chris

 

[ArcaneXor]

Koelsch is best bulk conditioned in the secondary at about 33 degrees or so. Two weeks is all that it takes, especially if you add some finings like gelatin, but some brewers lager for as long as six weeks with good results.
After lagering, the beer will be brilliantly clear. You'll probably want to suck up just a tiny bit of the yeast sediment when racking to accelerate the carbonation.

Keeping the bottles cold isn't quite the same thing. It'll compact the sediment in the bottles and slow down aging, but you won't quite achieve the same results as bulk conditioning due to the differences in pressure.

 

[paint_it_black]

But being that I have no way of cold-conditioning my carboy, will cold-conditioning the bottles suffice?

 

[ArcaneXor]

But being that I have no way of cold-conditioning my carboy, will cold-conditioning the bottles suffice?

You gotta work with what you have to work with. It'll get you close enough.

 

[paint_it_black]

Thanks for the help!

 

[ErieShores]

Koelsch is best bulk conditioned in the secondary at about 33 degrees or so. Two weeks is all that it takes, especially if you add some finings like gelatin, but some brewers lager for as long as six weeks with good results.

I just racked my helles (used Wyeast Koelsch) to a secondary today and it looked like pond water. I have the ability to keep the carboy nice and cold. Assuming I use gelatin, what would be your recommendations for the next couple weeks?

 

[waldoar15]

I just kegged a kolsch fermented with wlp029. It took a long time cold conditioning before it finally dropped crystal clear. Not sure if it was the yeast or the fact that it was almost all Pils and had a lot of protein/chill haze.

 

[smakudwn]

I cold conditioned my Kolsch for 2 weeks and its dropped brilliantly clear.

 

[ErieShores]

I cold conditioned my Kolsch for 2 weeks and its dropped brilliantly clear.

Any gelatin?

 

[smakudwn]

No I did not add any gelatin.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

smakudwn; when saying you cold conditioned, was this in the fermenter, and at what temp? I have a Kolsch going right now, a 2.5g batch in a 6.5g primary, so trying to avoid opening it up to add gelatin as I want to avoid introducing oxygen.

 

[smakudwn]

Sorry I "lagered" it at 50 degrees for 2 weeks in a secondary car boy. Transfered it to the keg on Monday and it was clear and tasty. Waiting for it to carb up now. I used the Wlp029 yeast.

 

[ErieShores]

You added more yeast to carbonate?

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

It totally depends on what yeast you are using. Kolsch can be commonly made as either an ale or a lager. My kit came with Ale and it turned out great, very clean taste. http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp029.html I guess even with the ale yeast people like to condition it cold to keep the taste as clean as possible.

Steam or CA common is a lager but unique strain that does great at warmer temps. WL says 50-65f. http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp810.html

 

[smakudwn]

You added more yeast to carbonate?

no i just put it on the gas and wait.