Warm Lager and Ale Fermentation Temps

I've been looking through the latest issue of BYO where it gives a lot of Sam Adams clone beers.  I noticed that it suggests that the lagers ferment at 57.  That seems a little warm to me.  But, for those who have read it, in the unrelated article that interviewed a number of IPL brewers about their process for that style, several of them said they ferment in the mid 50's.  Finally, although not lagering temps, I noticed that Stone's book recommends 72 for most of their ales that use the Fuller's yeast.

These all seem a little warm to me, or, at least, warmer than home brewing convention.  Thoughts?  It would be nice to think I could produce a good clean lager at 55-57, my downstairs brewery is getting the point where the ambient temp is at 60 by itself so asking for a handful of degrees shouldn't be that hard.

thanks

WR

Pay attention to the yeast strains that are being suggested. This has a lot to do with why they name a particular temperature. White Labs 860 is pretty good at higher temperatures, up to 60F.

I don't always have the luxury of time, in my production. I use a lager yeast that works very well at 55F and is rated to go up to 62F under pressure. I don't like the sulfur it creates at the warmer temperature, but at 55, primary is done in about 5 days, giving me 3 days for diacetyl rest and another 2.5 weeks to lager. A healthy pitching rate and plenty of O2 keep things in line.

The same is true with ales. Proper pitching rates and wort aeration allow higher temperatures without fusels or high esters.

In both cases, higher gravities (above 1.065) call for lowering the temperature for the first three or four days to slow the yeast. As low as 66F for an ale. This reduces fusels and improves flavors. After that initial time, let it ramp up to dry the beer out.