Need help with lagering an Oktoberfest

I bought a Brewers Best Oktoberfest kit this past weekend and didn't realize the suggested method for fermentation was lagering. It also included Brewferm lager yeast. I already have the wort fermenting in my basement right now and the temp is between approximately 57ish degrees. Unfortunately I do not have a good way to gradually reduce temps like the instructions say but I think I can maintain a somewhat consistent temp of 35-40 degrees in my garage. Is it going to hurt anything if I just put it in the garage after primary fermentation is done? Would it be better off just to leave it in the basement the entire time (primary & secondary) at 57 - 59 degrees?

Thanks for your help I am a rookie!

It the garage is truly consistent then it would be best to move it out there. It will give you a cleaner flavor to the beer which is the whole point of a lager. It should be fine.

Even if you leave it in the basement the worst you get is beer with some slight off flavors.........no worries.

I read something today that says you can bottle your lager and let it carb for a week or two and then lager it. If you could put in a cooler on ice in your basement the ice should last several days at a time. Might even try the blocks of ice instead of cubes.

Lagering (verb) at 34-36ish after fermentation is complete adds the crispness and clean aftertaste associated with lagers. If you have the beer at 57 in your garage during the lagering phase, you'll still have a good beer, it will just lack the full magnitude of that crispness.

I did my first lager back in December, and during the lagering phase my beer was fine and dandy at about 36F for a few weeks, then my fermentation fridge started to get low on freon, and the last 4-5 weeks of lagering was closer to 50F. My lager turned out great despite nto being able to maintain the 36F temp. Yours will be fine as well!