Designing My First Cream Ale

[Brew Cat]

Yeast went crazy on this since pitching and now most of it has dropped out and the beer is noticeably clearer. Seemed to have a nice ferment in the 60-62F range for the last 4 days. I think I might take it upstairs tomorrow or the next day to finish out at 68F. I might end up cold crashing and fining it with gelatin but my last beer (Irish Red) turned out quite clear and I didn’t bother with either. Seems like whirlfloc does wonders. The basement is kinda a dark and the beer looks much lighter under a stronger bulb. Cheers!

At those temperatures I would call it a steam beer or California Common.

 

[Prairie Dog]

At those temperatures I would call it a steam beer or California Common.

Pre-Pro Steam Cream Ale/Lager. Whatever it is, I hope it’s tasty

 

[J A]

At those temperatures I would call it a steam beer or California Common.

If it fits the description in the style guidelines, fermentation temp is completely irrelevant. the 34/70 easily stays clean enough at 60 to make a Cream Ale or Helles Lager.
Color and IBU may be distinguishing factors - you'd have to have a much darker and hoppier beer than a typical Cream Ale in order to have it fit the Cali Common style.

 

[Brew Cat]

Hmmm I suppose that's true. I don't really know much but a steam ale is brewed with lager yeast and its called an "ale" so I suppose you could call your Cream ale an "ale" even though what you're making is a lager.

 

[J A]

Hmmm I suppose that's true. I don't really know much but a steam ale is brewed with lager yeast and its called an "ale" so I suppose you could call your Cream ale an "ale" even though what you're making is a lager.

Check out the BJCP guidelines. Not much is depend on process but rather on outcome. The plenty of lager yeasts, definitely including the "San Francisco Lager" strain will produce low levels of esters (though usually more diacetyl) at low temps but still be very happy at higher temps, producing more esters but no diacetyl. A lot of ale yeasts are very similar. The names of styles like "Steam Lager" (officially California Common) and "Cream Ale" are just attached to certain style beers and don't really have much to do with exact yeast strain or species.
As far as "making a lager" goes, the beer doesn't usually take on the clean character that we associate with lager styles until it's stored cold (lagered) for a while. Kellerbier is a perfect example of a "lager" style having ale characteristics (less clear, more estery) because it's served before it matures into what we expect a lager to be.

 

[Prairie Dog]

In case anyone is following, I bottled this beer today. It went from 1.048 to 1.009 making this about 5.12% ABV. Yeast could have maybe attenuated a bit more, but the sample was nice and dry with just a hint of malt sweetness. The 34/70 seemed to be throwing off a bit of sulfur, but it wasnt too strong. My partner tried it and said it tasted like a Budweiser, so I think that’s a good sign. Cheers!

 

[Sandy Feet]

By the time it carbs, the sulfur should clear up.

 

[Brew Cat]

I know if you burp the keg you can get rid of the sulfur. Not quite sure what happens in the bottle

 

[J A]

Sulfur gas is pretty nasty but it won't stay in suspension. The problem with bottling is that if it's still gassing off when it's bottled, the sulfur is trapped and won't escape until the bottle is opened and the beer is poured. It will probably clear in the glass pretty quickly but it may be a little off-putting to get a whiff of egg-farts every time you open a beer. It's likely that racking it into the bottling bucket will release any remnants, so it won't be too bad.
If it ends up being much of a problem and you want to avoid it in the future, a secondary fermentation at slightly warm temps will usually clear it up nicely before cold-crashing.

BTW...your attenuation is over 80% and you're not typically going to do better than that. Your OG and FG are spot-on for style.

 

[Brew Cat]

I've never gotten sulfur in a beer but have in cider and fruit wine. I always attributed it to wine yeast. But racking it generally removed it so your right maybe if bottling a lager do a secondary?

 

[Prairie Dog]

Sulfur gas is pretty nasty but it won't stay in suspension. The problem with bottling is that if it's still gassing off when it's bottled, the sulfur is trapped and won't escape until the bottle is opened and the beer is poured. It will probably clear in the glass pretty quickly but it may be a little off-putting to get a whiff of egg-farts every time you open a beer. It's likely that racking it into the bottling bucket will release any remnants, so it won't be too bad.
If it ends up being much of a problem and you want to avoid it in the future, a secondary fermentation at slightly warm temps will usually clear it up nicely before cold-crashing.

BTW...your attenuation is over 80% and you're not typically going to do better than that. Your OG and FG are spot-on for style.

Thanks for the info! By my calcs I got about 81%. BF says this yeast attenuates to 83%, so I thought I was maybe a little off but glad to hear that I am on the money. I actually don't find the "sulfur" smell to be that offensive or out of place--it definitely doesn't smell like egg farts. I would be happy if it faded a bit, but I didn't find it terribly off putting. Maybe what I'm describing isn't exactly sulfur, but it has a somewhat strong "sour" or "yeasty" smell--for lack of better descriptors--that I notice somewhat faintly in many lagers, mainly Pilsners.

Anyways, the sample tasted great, so I'm looking forward to the finished product. Does anyone know if 62F is an okay temp for these bottles to condition at? I fermented it at about 61-62 for the first ~4 days, then fermented it around 68 to finish out. I'm imagining 34/70 will have no problem carbing at 62, but this is my first time using it.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I actually don't find the "sulfur" smell to be that offensive or out of place--it definitely doesn't smell like egg farts.

The sulfur aroma can go from mild to medium high with that yeast. I have never been able to figure out why it varies from batch to batch, but the theory is that low FAN (free amino nitrogen) levels drive sulfur higher. The the higher your protein levels in the grain, the lower the sulfur or so goes the theory. I have gotten egg farts from 34/70, but it doesn't happen all the time.

Regardless of whether you bottle or keg, the sulfur will fade to the point that it's barely noticeable in the bottle/keg. I see it drop to a really low level about 6 weeks into lagering. I wouldn't worry at all about the sulfur, every lager has it and at really low levels it is actually very pleasant. If you bottle, just let them finish up around the same temperature as a ale. But if you let it set at 61-62F, it will work, it will just take a little longer. Once it's done carbonating, put them in the fridge, they will get better with some cold conditioning.

Your numbers look really good, you may have a stellar beer!