Out of Town With My First Lager

[net2mal]

I am brewing my first lager and I had a couple questions. Everything is going well so far but I am leaving on a trip for 6 days and I think its time to do a diacetyl rest. My OG was 1.057 and a target TG of 1.014. I just took a sample after only 5 days of fermentation at 52 F, because the kraeusen has mostly fallen back in. The gravity is as 1.021 and I do taste some diacetyl, so I think it is time.

The problem is I will be out of town for 6 days. Believe it or not, the wife has agreed to adjust my temp control but that about the extent of my help. I just wanted to make sure that after I have her raise the temp to 62 F for about 2-3 days, it would be okay to drop it back to 50 F until I get back next week and then rack to the secondary and drop the temp slowly from there.

Is this the correct procedure or do I need to rack now prior to leaving for the week? Also, since I cannot take another reading til I return, what would you have her look for before dropping the temp back down?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[TopherM]

Your method is fine, but you could even make a bit simpler. You can just do the D-Rest at room temp, so just have your wife take the fermenter out of your temp control altogether, then just let it sit at room temp until you get back, then ramp down to lagering temps. If your wife can't physically lift the fermenter out of the chamber, then just have her raise the temp up to your D-Rest temp and let it be until you get back. Point being, there's no real negative to extending the D-Rest and waiting to get to the lagering phase, as long as the temp stays relatively constant.

Good luck!

 

[net2mal]

I think I'll do the later and wait to lager til I get back. Wouldn't want to have her move it.

Thanks for your help.