Lager - will a 5 day diacetyl rest cause problems?

so I am in the middle of fermenting my first lager. I have fermented at 50 F for 10 days untill SG was 6 points from FG and then brought temp up slowly to 60 F. I have to go out of town for 4 more days which will put the beer at 60 F for a total of 5 days. Is this too long for the diacetyl rest? Should I rack to secondary now after only 24 hours at 60 F or can I wait 4 more days to rack?

Jayhem said:

so I am in the middle of fermenting my first lager. I have fermented at 50 F for 10 days untill SG was 6 points from FG and then brought temp up slowly to 60 F. I have to go out of town for 4 more days which will put the beer at 60 F for a total of 5 days. Is this too long for the diacetyl rest? Should I rack to secondary now after only 24 hours at 60 F or can I wait 4 more days to rack?

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Leaving it at 60F for 5 days won't hurt anything. Fermentation should be complete. You really only have to worry about keeping temperatures controlled during the first several days of fermentation - especially the lag phase before visible fermentation begins.

I regularly leave my lagers out at room temperature after fermentation is complete until a spot opens in my lagering keezer.

Thanks! I was thinking it would be fine but I'm new to lager brewing.

Jayhem said:

Thanks! I was thinking it would be fine but I'm new to lager brewing.

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Congrats on your first lager. The extra couple of days of d-rest in the low 60s won't hurt a thing.

After you get home, take a sample and taste it to check for a slick mouth feel and/or any hint of buttery flavor. You probably won't get those, but you want to check when you can still do something about it. If necessary, you can raise it up to 65 or so.

It will be hard, but give this the time in the cold that it needs to lager. I like to leave mine for at least 6 weeks, preferably 8, before moving to the keezer.