Cold Conditioning
Just a quick update:
The still unnamed Kolsch is cold conditioning in secondary right now, and will be there another three weeks before I bottle her up. Certain styles, especially ones that demand a certain crispness and lack of flavor complexity (like lagers, pale ales, and Kolsches), can benefit both in flavor and visual clarity from being cold conditioned and stored at near-freezing temperatures for months at a time. It allows most of the yeast to fall out of suspension, leaving the beer crystal clear, and also helps dampen yeast byproducts that cause fruity and spicy flavors in the beer. Of course, these flavors are welcome in many and most styles, but are less desired in others.
Ella the Anniversary Ale is hanging out with the Kolsch, and I'm still researching whether the cold conditioning will do her harm or good. It will certainly clear her up, which would be nice, but I have a trade off decision to make: Belgian ales like this one are known for their strong alcohol content and their complex, yeasty character. The cold will dampen the alcohol bite, which is nice, but also dampen some of that complexity. So I might take her out of the freezer and store her in a closet for a bit longer.
Regardless, both will be bottled in three weeks.
Meanwhile, Eva is all ready to drink. She's very very tasty; anyone who likes Bell's Brown or Newcastle should try a bottle. She's a far cry from my typical bitter beer: slightly sweet, but not cloyingly so, and very malty. Lots of subtle flavors to pick out and appreciate. She'll be around awhile (I'm still polishing off Annabelle and Rachel), so let me know if you'd like some.
The still unnamed Kolsch is cold conditioning in secondary right now, and will be there another three weeks before I bottle her up. Certain styles, especially ones that demand a certain crispness and lack of flavor complexity (like lagers, pale ales, and Kolsches), can benefit both in flavor and visual clarity from being cold conditioned and stored at near-freezing temperatures for months at a time. It allows most of the yeast to fall out of suspension, leaving the beer crystal clear, and also helps dampen yeast byproducts that cause fruity and spicy flavors in the beer. Of course, these flavors are welcome in many and most styles, but are less desired in others.
Ella the Anniversary Ale is hanging out with the Kolsch, and I'm still researching whether the cold conditioning will do her harm or good. It will certainly clear her up, which would be nice, but I have a trade off decision to make: Belgian ales like this one are known for their strong alcohol content and their complex, yeasty character. The cold will dampen the alcohol bite, which is nice, but also dampen some of that complexity. So I might take her out of the freezer and store her in a closet for a bit longer.
Regardless, both will be bottled in three weeks.
Meanwhile, Eva is all ready to drink. She's very very tasty; anyone who likes Bell's Brown or Newcastle should try a bottle. She's a far cry from my typical bitter beer: slightly sweet, but not cloyingly so, and very malty. Lots of subtle flavors to pick out and appreciate. She'll be around awhile (I'm still polishing off Annabelle and Rachel), so let me know if you'd like some.
posted by Sam Reese at 11:36 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home