Cream ale WLP080

[Effingbeer]

Trying to get excited about brewing a cream ale. Only brewing it because it's my club's style of the month. If I wanted to drink corny 15 IBU beer, well... So I decided to try the WLP080 to make it interesting. Never used a ale/lager blend before and it will most likely be the lightest beer I will ever make, so I am asking for fermentation advice. Grain bill is basically the same as BCS. Using a blend of liberty/mt hood hops. White labs says 65-75F. I would tend to use the lower range, but what will the lager yeast be doing at 66F? After primary is done, what should the conditioning be like? Should I drop to 55F for a while or just let it rip, diacetyl rest, and cold condition in the fridge? Not looking for "beginner" advice. You can assume proper starter, pitching rate, etc. Thanks!

[MikeB]

If the beer turns out the way that recipe has is the past (for me) the corn will be subtle if at all noticeable. I have not use that yeast blend before, but I would start at the low end (65) of the recommended temperature range and let the beer gradually rise to the mid 70s to take care of any off aromas/flavors from the lager strain. You might be able to go lower at first, but I suspect the lager strain would dominate the fermentation if you start too low. I would lager for 1 month before serving or bottling. After a month it is bright, malty sweet and just the right beer after working in the yard on a hot Saturday afternoon.

[Effingbeer]

I would lager for 1 month before serving or bottling. After a month it is bright, malty sweet and just the right beer after working in the yard on a hot Saturday afternoon.

What do you think about lager temp? 55? 60? Or will cold keg conditioning suffice? I don't want too much sulfur.

[Effingbeer]

Could I fake a Maibock with this yeast? Give me some input. I'm bound to do it anyway. It is for a members-only club competition. We only have 1 BJCP judge, a few guys with decent palates, and "the JP 90%"
We get points for top 5 beers which go toward "brewer of the year".
I can't ferment at 50, and I have decided I am too lazy to set up an ice bath.
I started my cream ale at 60, then let it go up to about 62 and eventually to 66. I would most likely do the same type of profile, except maybe keep it at 60 for longer.
Anyway, I figure it is so focused on the malt, I could get the flavor close enough to place.

[MikeB]

You'll want to lager at or near 32 oF. Anything near 50 oF is more like cold conditioning.

As far as trying to make a Maibock with this yeast. It might turn out OK. I suspect the lager strain in this blend to produce a beer that is more light lagerish than bock. I would try something else like a Cal Common or Altbier if I were playing around.

[maxwell]

There was a brewing tv episode a while back about lager workarounds and they looked specifically a maibock. In addition to the yeasts that they tried, you could think about SF Lager yeast.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/connect/2 ... xperiment/

[Effingbeer]

Thanks. I will check that out. It's just that I have this giant clean cake of cream ale yeast, and I will probably use it and see what happens. But then again, I may do a proper job because my stupid brain won't let me intentionally do something if I can't predict some end results.

[maxwell]

Why not try a split batch?