First time Lager - how long for secondary

[Voskar]

Hi

I'm doing a lager and have done 7 days primary and coming up 7 days secondary. It's doing one bubble a minute.
The wort is very clear and not much activity on the surface.
Fermentation is at 16C in basement.
I'm planning to lager in frig after the secondary.
Question. Should I rack now or leave it for another 7 days?
Thanks

 

[Yooper]

Hi! Welcome to the forum!

16C is a high temperature for a lager- what kind of yeast are you using?

If you're planning on a diacetyl rest, I'd check the SG and see if it's about 75% finished. If it is, I'd do the diacetyl rest now, then rack into secondary. If it's not at least 75% finished, I'd let it go until it is.

I'm just wondering about the temperature, though. If you're fermenting at 16C, maybe you're actually using an ale yeast? That's why I asked what kind of yeast you're using. If you're using an ale yeast, my advice would be different.

Again, welcome to HBT!

 

[944play]

You already racked, at 7 days? I would not rack it again until packaging day -- lager it in the secondary. Another week at 16C would serve as a fine diacetyl rest. Since you got rid of most of the yeast already, you want what's left to have a fighting chance at processing the acetaldehyde and diacetyl precursors.

Most folks here leave their beer (it ceases to be wort at pitching time) in the primary until ALL fermentation activity has stopped, and then a few days more.

 

[Voskar]

The yeast is what ever was under the lid.
It's a Brewcraft Munich Lager kit.
It took over 24 hrs for the yeast to show any signs of activity.
I assume it is a larger yeast.
With my last Ale brew, the yeast was active after 4 hrs.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Yooper]

It's just a guess, but I bet your kit came with ale yeast. Most kits marked as "lagers" still seem to be ales. Unless you specifically bought a lager yeast, you probably have an ale yeast. If you do, then you don't really have to worry about the temperature (lager yeast is fermented at 48-52 degrees F) or even to lager the beer.

You can bottle it whenever the SG is stable, and allow it to carbonate in the bottle (which should take about 3 weeks at room temperature). Then you can chill it in the fridge for as long as you'd like.