Question about fermentation during lagering

I have a quick question: on a lager, will racking to a secondary and starting lagering before terminal gravity, but close, say when the beer is at 1.020 but needs to finish at ~1.014, finish fermenting during the lagering stage? Basically, is there any fermentation at all going on during lagering?

Probably not as the yeast will stop "working" at those temps. You then run the risk of bottle bombs. If you keg, then I wouldn't worry about it. If you are going to bottle, than in this situation you could add a little less sugar at bottling time if the gravity is still high when you go to bottle.

I was under the impression yeast were still active, although slow, at lagering temperatures. I want to reach terminal gravity, so having the beer finish high is not a good option to me.

Can anyone confirm this?

Gregory Noonan "New Brewing Lager Beer" says that lagering is to mellow harsh flavors by the combined effects of the falling rate of yeast metabolism, increasted acidity and low temps. Yeast cells are not usually decomposed during lagering but the culture becomes progressively dormant as fermentable extract (and glycogen reserves) are depleted...

I primary for at least 10 days at the yeast sweet spot (say 52-54 degrees), then raise it to 68 for 2 days (diacetyl rest and any lingering fermentation happens here), then lager for prescribed time for clarification.

Long winded answer I guess, but it indicates that you need to finish your fermentation before lagering.

bannonb said:

Long winded answer I guess, but it indicates that you need to finish your fermentation before lagering.

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This. Neither secondary, nor lager vessel is for fermentation. Take beer off the cake earlier, and you get unfinished beer most of the time (i.e. too sweet beer, or bottle bombs).

What is your goal in trying to start lagering before it finishes fermenting? Maybe there's a better option (if there is a valid goal that is).