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Author Topic: What temp for secondary ferm / conditioning cask ale  (Read 4144 times)

Offline laughingboysbrew

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What temp for secondary ferm / conditioning cask ale
« on: April 11, 2013, 07:20:47 am »
I'm about to rack my first ale for cask.  I have a temp controlled freezer where it will be served from (also my primary ferm housing).  I've seen mixed advice on what temp to carbonate or condition the beer.  Looking for others experience.

After primary:
1. rack/prime and store at cellar temp (through secondary ferm, conditioning, venting, etc)
  OR
2. rack/prime store at yeast temp for a week or two, then cellar temp to vent/tap/serve

If (in #1) I go from 68F (primary ferm temp) to 55F, that is outside the range of my yeast.  Will "some" still stay alive enough to work my priming sugar (dextrose) or won't they all go to sleep? 

Seems like in the real world, shipping/distribution would inevitably create 5-7 day lag time before reaching cellar...giving the beer time to secondary ferm at "room temp".  Should I let the cask sit in my freezer at 68F temp for a week or so, let the yeast continue to work, then "cellar" the beer for conditioning at 55F?

Thanks!

Offline Mark G

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Re: What temp for secondary ferm / conditioning cask ale
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2013, 08:29:01 am »
Let it carbonate at 68 for a week or so, then drop it to cellar temp. It might still carbonate at 55, depending on yeast strain, but would likely take a long time.
Mark Gres

Offline laughingboysbrew

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Re: What temp for secondary ferm / conditioning cask ale
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2013, 11:13:26 am »
For 68F and 5gal volume, I am planning 3oz of priming - which should get me 2.0 vol.  My only worry is not having enough healthy yeast if I wait the 2wks I would normally for primary.  Right now, I am 10 days in, have reach expected FG, and still have a healthy 1/2" of krausen on the top. 

Good time to rack and leave it for 10-14days?

thanks.

Offline Mark G

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Re: What temp for secondary ferm / conditioning cask ale
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2013, 09:33:46 pm »
You'll have plenty of yeast even if you wait. I'd personally wait for the krausen to fall and the yeast to finish cleaning up any fermentation by-products.
Mark Gres

Offline 1vertical

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Re: What temp for secondary ferm / conditioning cask ale
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2013, 11:00:48 pm »
If you add carb. food for the yeasties, and get no joy, You can always add
a bit of fresh neutral liquid yeast like eau de vie...and finish the job.  :P
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.