Did I make a steam beer by accident?

[dawalkertiger]

My first batch was from back in March. It was a Kolsch-style ale extract kit from Williams that came with my equipment kit. I brewed it per instructions (with one addition, added lemon zest for last 15 minutes of boil). Came with Wyeast 2565 Kolsch smack pack. It turned out really great, and it is my SWMBOs favorite, and we want to brew it (or something similar, probably all-grain) again. However, after looking at instructions for other Kolsch beers, I see that most of them have some type of lagering phase or at least a cold crash. The one I brewed had a 3 week primary at ambient basement temps (64ish) and then straight to bottles for 3 weeks conditioning at 70ish.

My question is, did I really make a steam beer since I didn’t lager/crash it?

 

[Hopper5000]

yes you basically did make a steam beer/CA common. you don't need to lager those beers unless they have some off flavors which would benefit from some lagering

 

[Yooper]

My question is, did I really make a steam beer since I didn’t lager/crash it?

It sounds like a kolsch! "Steam beer" is made by using lager yeast at ale temperatures. You used a kolsch yeast, so it's not a steam beer.

Kolsch does clear up and "crisp" up a bit if you can cold conditioning it for several weeks, but it's still a kolsch.

 

[woozy]

I love steam beers myself. But doesn't the yeast used matter?

My newbie take going to the Wyeast site seems to be that the Kolsch is an ale yeast so you won't get any off flavors.
---added----

Thanks, yooper. In a nutshell is there any guideline in a nutshell which lager yeasts do well at ale temps? I guess I'm wondering why Wyeast 2112 and other "california" yeasts which fermant at ale temps are considered lager yeasts rather than ale yeasts. Or is it just judgement call?

 

[dawalkertiger]

hmmm... that makes sense. wyeast shows that as an ale yeast. but I think the strain acts somewhat like a lager yeast.

 

[mcangeli]

I guess I'm wondering why Wyeast 2112 and other "california" yeasts which fermant at ale temps are considered lager yeasts rather than ale yeasts. Or is it just judgement call?

Because of how they work their magic (I believe)

If I remember something I read here (or in one of the books) Ale Yeast works from the top and Lager Yeast works from the bottom.

 

[Hopper5000]

ya i guess your all right, i forgot that kolsch is an ale yeast...

 

[woozy]

Because of how they work their magic (I believe)

If I remember something I read here (or in one of the books) Ale Yeast works from the top and Lager Yeast works from the bottom.

Yeah, I read that just the other day too. But I assumed (probably wrongly) that that was somehow related to fermentation temps. I'm not sure I see what difference yeast direction would make but then that's why they don't pay me the big bucks.

 

[drainbamage]

Cali Common also has a different grain/hop bill than a Kolsch. Kolsch is very pale or gold, mildly fruity and crisp with low bitterness from Noble hops, while Cali Common is more amber in color, contains more Crystal malt, and is more assertively hoppy (usually with Northern Brewer).

Ale yeast and lager yeast are not only different strains, but two different species of yeast. I'm not certain, but I think the strains used most often for Cali Common (like WLP810) are actual (bottom-fermenting) lager yeast strains that have adapted to fermenting closer to ale temps.

 

[woozy]

Ale yeast and lager yeast are not only different strains, but two different species of yeast. I'm not certain, but I think the strains used most often for Cali Common (like WLP810) are actual (bottom-fermenting) lager yeast strains that have adapted to fermenting closer to ale temps.

I did *not* know that. Now I do. Fascinating

And you seem to be right about California Lager Yeast actually being a lager yeast (if it wasn't, why would anyone say it was?). From Palmer: Chapter 6.4.2: "California Lager
Warm fermenting bottom cropping strain, ferments well to 62 °F, having some of the fruitiness of an ale while keeping lager characteristics. Malty profile, highly flocculant, clears brilliantly. This is the yeast that is used for Steam - type beers."

Well, that *certainly* makes the whole Steam and Hybrid Category make a lot more sense. Otherwise why wouldn't they have simply called it an ale?

Fascinating. Thank you for giving me something to research.