Lagering my AHS Texas Blonde?

[json2001]

I ordered a mini-mash AHS Texas Blonde and I'm hoping to brew a nice crisp, clean summery ale.

Now I am brewing it with the recommended White Labs German Ale/Kolsch Ale WLP029. But as I try to always do since I'm new to brewing most of the styles still, I listened to the Jamil Show that covered the Blonde Ale style.

He recommended lagering the beer after primary fermentation. I just ordered a temp regulator for my spare fridge so this is finally within my means, but its brand new to me. So I had a few questions

1. To do this do I just crank the temp down in one swoop on the fridge? or gradually over a day or 2?
2. What temp should lager this beer?
3. Is this going to plunge my yeast into dormancy?
4. Will I still be able to carbonate?

Also, in case it matters I plan on fermenting at 67 degrees.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[PintOfBitter]

Anything below 62°F and you'll get nothing out of that yeast. Not a lager yeast, so it won't really benefit from cold aging. Perhaps the recommendation to "lager" the beer is more an aging issue rather than true lagering?

 

[json2001]

Maybe so, I wish he had explained more. Maybe ill just pull the temp down a couple degrees to like 65 or something after primary fermentation a bit, though I'm not exactly sure what that would get me.

Colder Fermentation = cleaner, crisper beer?

 

[lamarguy]

Anything below 62°F and you'll get nothing out of that yeast. Not a lager yeast, so it won't really benefit from cold aging. Perhaps the recommendation to "lager" the beer is more an aging issue rather than true lagering?

Technically, you can "lager" any beer. Cold conditioning slows the rate of aging and, in general, benefits delicate beers during the conditioning process.

For a kolsch, it gives the yeast time to clean up any sulfur byproducts (similiar to a lager yeast) and encourages the yeast to completely flocculate for a super clear beer.

 

[WorryWort]

Maybe we are confusing fermentation with lagering. json said he was going to ferment at 67F, which is fine for the yeast.

Lagering it after fermentation should be done cold below 45F for sure. It will settle out most yeast and clear the beer up nicely. However, you will still be able to carbonate just fine.

To answer your questions:

1. To do this do I just crank the temp down in one swoop on the fridge? or gradually over a day or 2?

Right away. No worries.

2. What temp should lager this beer?

35-45F is fine. I do my lagers at 32-35F, apparently that takes a little longer.

3. Is this going to plunge my yeast into dormancy?

Yes and No. (see next answer)

4. Will I still be able to carbonate?

Yes. People do this all the time. If you leave it for like 6 weeks a secondary yeast addition at bottling wouldn't hurt. Dry yeast is fine for this I've heard. Never had to use extra though.

 

[WorryWort]

after I posted I looked into this some more. There may be benefit to slowly reducing the temperature by 5F per day. I found that direction given on the white labs site.

I am not sure why though. Presumably to work the yeast down slowly, but I don't know more.

Anyway, couldn't hurt to go slowly. I don't personally, but now I'm looking into it!