Lagering question: reduction of temperature

Hi all,

My Brewer's Best Oktoberfest has finished fermenting in the primary (as measured by FG across three days). I have a spare fridge and am able to lager as intended, however, the instructions call for lowering the temperature by 1 to 3 degrees per day until it's down to 35 to 42 degrees. The final temp is no problem, but I really don't have a way to gradually reduce the temperature.

Will it be a problem if I just stick the secondary in the fridge in the correct range?

Thanks in advance!

 

Yeah, I've seen that recommendation many times, but have not seen a reason why. It may be just tradition. I suppose a sudden temp. drop may be like cold crashing, but is that a problem? I don't think so.
Based on three lagers last year(so I'm not an expert) after my D-rest, I moved them out to my 'cold garage' for lagering without stepping them down. Left them out there for at least 1 month. They cleared beautifully, carbonated well without adding additional yeast, and tasted wonderful. This year's lagers I plan to do the same.

 

You should reduce the temperature slowly, but 1-3F per day is very slow and seems ultra conservative to me. I mean even in my temperature controlled fermentation fridge, the temp can swing by 1-2F per day.

I'm told yeast can stress during periods of rapid temperature change (up or down) and excrete undesirable flavor compounds. Lately, I have been cold crashing by at least 2-3C per day.

 

No problem at all as far as I'm concerned. Once fermentation is completely done, I move my primaries from the fermenter chamber straight into cold crash/lagering at 35-36*F.

Now, if you subject actively fermenting yeast to rapid temp changes, there is indeed the potential for a problem. I don't, however, think much of the idea that a post-fermentation rapid cold crash could somehow cause a yeast stress issue. By that point, the yeast have already finished their job and have gone dormant.

 

Lagering is one of those times when you want to rack a beer into secondary, so there's not much yeast at the bottom of the fermenter.

The remaining suspended yeast, in my experience, didn't produce any off flavors from cold crashing them.

 

Thanks for the replies, they are appreciated!