when to start refrigerating lager

I just wasn't sure...I have some Pale Ale in primary, is it possible to wait too long before lagering? It's been in primary for 5 days and I was going to go to secondary for a couple of weeks. Is that fine and then I just refrigerate after bottling or should I hurry it up before I mess up my lager?

That's fine... the more fermentation you can get through with, the better. Then lager it as you like. No one seems sure exactly what the cold storage does, but it sure makes wicked beer.

How old is the lager? Meaning when did you brew it and how long did the primary fermentation take?

Kai

So if you lager a Pale Ale, does it become a Pale Lagerale?

Well, that's an interesting question. Ale yeasts are less active by a long shot than lager yeasts at the low temps. But some of the yeast will continue to live in all sorts of strange conditions, and its offspring, I understand, will basically be okay in those conditions.....

We've had a few threads about lagering ales, and making "lagers" with ale yeasts. I just brewed a really snappy crisp pilsner with Nottingham ale yeast, so I'm not sure what to tell ya.

Sorry, I was very tired when I wrote the post. I made a pale ale recipe but used lager yeast. I made it Monday last week and it stopped fermenting after 6 or 7 days and it's actually still sitting in primary, so I think I'll transfer it tonight...Anyways, does it only matter that at some point I refrigerate it for awhile or is there a standard cut-off time? Give me some input.:fro:

Fudd said:

Anyways, does it only matter that at some point I refrigerate it for awhile or is there a standard cut-off time? Give me some input.:fro:

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You want to start lowering the temperature as soon as the primary fermentation is done, the diacetyl rest (if you employed one) is over and you racked to the secondary. I usually carbonate in the secondary, but most brewers will force carbonate their lagers after the lagering process.

I'm not sure what a cut-off time would be, but I wouldn't keep it above 50F for to long, as the yeast may go into autolysis due to the higher temps. I have a Maibock that just didn't want to complete secondary fermentation for over 4 weeks and it picked up some yeasty taste. I hope that that will be fixed by lagering it.

Kai