Lagering & Bottle Conditioning California Common Lager

[FunkyMunk]

I have a California Common fermented with Imperial Cable Car Yeast (California Common Lager yeast) that is ready to transfer to secondary for lagering. I plan to rack off the yeast to a carboy, then lager around 50 F for around 3 weeks (same as Anchor Steam), then cold crash and gelatin fine before bottling. Should I add new yeast before bottling? Will there still be enough in suspension after lagering, cold crashing, and fining? Will it help to carb up faster if I add yeast?

 

[Conehead]

I carb to around 2.8 volumes after using gelatin. Takes a week or 2 longer but it carbs up fine.

 

[FunkyMunk]

Ok, thanks. Actually, I'm still seeing airlock activity nearly 2 weeks after pitching the yeast. Gravity was 1.015 a few days ago, temps have been pretty much 58-62 all along. I'd like to submit this to a competition, and the deadline for submissions is about 5 weeks from now. Am I better off skipping the lagering period and going straight to bottling? Should I give it more time, some lagering, then force carb and bottle from a keg?

 

[sfgoat]

I have found that my cali commons come out best with a short and cold (around 35F) for about 2 weeks

 

[FunkyMunk]

I have found that my cali commons come out best with a short and cold (around 35F) for about 2 weeks

Would gelatin be necessary after a brief lagering period like this? If I do this I will most likely rack to a carboy, as my primary bucket doesn't fit as well in my fridge, so it may be pretty clear on its own, just wondering if it's worth trying to get it even more clear.

 

[sfgoat]

Would gelatin be necessary after a brief lagering period like this? If I do this I will most likely rack to a carboy, as my primary bucket doesn't fit as well in my fridge, so it may be pretty clear on its own, just wondering if it's worth trying to get it even more clear.

I dont usually use gelatin in a cali common but it wouldnt hurt. I dont think it is necessary at all.

 

[FunkyMunk]

Finally got around to racking this to a carboy and putting it in the fridge, unfortunately the temps will fluctuate but it should stay mostly below 40. It sat undisturbed at around 58 +/- 2 for about 3 weeks of primary, the yeast later was super compact, and the beer looked really clean and clear-ish. I have 4 weeks until the deadline for this competition, so I may just "lager" for a week then bottle... Think this will be ok or would I be better off doing something else?

 

[sfgoat]

I'm sure a week will be fine. Really a cali common doesnt need to be lagered at all.

 

[FunkyMunk]

Right on, good to know. I'm still learning the basics of making lagers, but I've also really enjoyed how super-clear the California commons I've tried were. The carboy in the fridge is pretty hazy, I'm guessing chill haze, although there does appear to be yeast sediment forming. I may try gelatin anyway, just out of curiosity.