[amanahoper]

I racked my first batch of steam beer (before this I have only done 4 ale kits) to the secondary last night and moved it from my kitchen to the shop. Now have a small amount of ice on top, not a sheet more slush, is this to cold. My primary was 13 days in the mid 50s. my shop is heated to 40 but had to set the carboy on the concrete, benches are a full. thanks in advance.

[tschmidlin]

Are you in secondary to let the beer finish fermenting, or to lager it?  If it's cold enough for ice crystals it is basically crash cooled and you're not going to get any further fermentation.  If you're bulk aging it then it is fine, although not ideal*.  If the air is 40F, just putting the carboy up on something would help.  A couple of chunks of 2x4 should keep it closer to 40F than whatever the surface temp of the concrete is.

*Then again I know a guy who freezes his light lagers solid, then thaws and drinks.  They are very clean and smooth, I can't argue with his results.

[beerocd]

You don't want all that ice in your beer anyway. Rack off the beer that hasn't frozen, should be a great winter beer.

[Kit B]

From what I understand, California Common (steam) was brewed due to a lack of refrigeration ability...
Lager brewed at ale temps.

What kind of yeast did you use, for this?
50 degrees seems a bit cool to me, for fermenting a steam beer.
But, maybe I'm wrong.

At any rate, I think you should end up with a nice, crisp lager, if you bring it back to a 50 degree room & bottle.
 

[amanahoper]

Thanks for the help. at last look there was almost no ice at same temp and it was done fermenting when i moved it. I had last minute travel plans where i was going to be gone for two weeks and figured the low temps couldn't hurt. Oh I used wyeast california steam with a 1 qt starter and extra nutrient at the end of boil.