WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch Yeast

[hoov]

I'm using this yeast (WLP029) in my primary right now. White Labs says to ferment between 65 and 69 deg. F. My instructions with the kit say 55 - 56 deg. F. or as cool as possible. I've been fermenting for a week at 55-56 degrees. The fermentation has been very active and now subsided. I'm eventually going to keg this (my first kegged beer). I vaguely remember hearing different things to do with ale yeasts at lager temps on one of the "Sessions". So, here are a few of my questions:

1. Do I now bring the temp up to finish out the fermentation?
2. Should I rack it to a secondary, and keep the temp the same or lower the temp?
3. Should I use the keg as my secondary, and lager it in the kegerator?

I'm a little confused about all this. Any help would be appreciated!

[Thirsty Boy]

Hoov,

I havent used the whitelabs yeast, but I make whats apparently an acceptable kolsch with the wyeast version so I'll have a crack.

This is what I would do..

I found that the yeast took a really long time to reach final gravity, it goes like the clappers and tries to climb out of the fermentor, but when it settles down a bit, that doesn't mean its done.

Me, I'd give your batch another 3 days to a week at the current temperatures, till the krausen goes away, then finish off the brew with a rising temperature to a diacetyl rest. Increase teh temp 1-2°F per day till you get to that 69 upper recommended temp, then leave it a day or two.

The other issue with kolsch yeast is that it doesn't settle out very well at all and it has a quite distinctive (and not pleasant) taste when it is suspended in the beer. A nasty double whammy. So if you aren't going to filter, which is what I do. then you need to get it as clear as possible before you drink it, by other methods.

Perhaps try -

Once you are sure its done, crash the whole thing down to as close to freezing as possible to drop as much yeast out as you can over a few days.

Rack it to a purged keg with some gelatin in it and lager it for a month or so, then if you can tap it without disturbing it, just chuck out the first cloudy pint or so, OR, transfer it (minus the first cloudy bit) to another keg for serving.

Like I said, this is all for the wyeast not the whitelabs, but I understand that they are pretty similar in both flavour and physical behavior. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will let you know.

Cheers

Thirsty

[Sent From My iPhone]

I'm doing a kolsch now with WL 029 and I'm doing exactly what Thirsty Boy recommends: I pitched a big starter and have been fermenting at 59-61*for about a week. i plan to ramp up to about 69* over the next week or so until I hit FG. Then I'll crash to near freezing, rack to a keg with gelatin and lager for a few weeks.