Couple lagering options, downsides?

[brants77]

I have 2 3gallon carboys open & would like to try a schwartzbier.
What I'd like to do is split the wort right after cooling, pitch separate yeast into each one (maybe even a different yeast in each), & do primary then move carboys to "lagering cave" to lager in original vessels. Any downsides to lagering in same vessel as primary?

Another option is to primary in a bucket, then just rack into 2 carboys & lager. Drawbacks to splitting batch at this stage? Would each get enough mojo to finish equally, or would "top" batch (or "bottom") batch be to weak or watery?

Thanks for any info. . .

 

[PT Ray]

Keep a modest gravity and you'll be fine with just using the 3 gallon carboys. Generally I brew in the 1.040-44 O.G. range so it's not as crucial for an extended lagering period. For these lagers it's basically 2 weeks for fermentation and 2 weeks lagering in the same vessel. If the beer was bigger then I would take it off the yeast.

 

[brants77]

Thanks man, I'll be using NB's schwartzbier kit whose instructions say 4 weeks secondary (I believe, at work now so it's not right in front of me). Sooooooo. . . roughly 6 weeks in same vessel cool?

 

[PT Ray]

I won't say it's ideal doing it this way but I've had good luck. So yeah, sounds cool. NB advertises a 1.052 O.G. so it's a bit bigger then mine. Not that I think this is going to make a huge difference.