Lager fermentation temps

[Nomad]

I have a couple questions for lager-making veterans. I have figured out the winter temps in different regions of my 1929 Cleveland house. I can lager at 32-40 degrees F in my coat closet, and ferment in my basement at 56 degrees F.
My questions: 1) can I ferment at 56 or do I need to power the temp a bit with ice and 2) do I need to do the big starter at 52 or so, or will 56 be OK?

Thanks for the help!
1)

 

[ColoHox]

Generally, I have better results fermenting at 50º. Although the yeast strain you pick will determine the temperatures you should use.

Also, that is the temperature of the fermenting beer itself (temp probe in thermowell in beer), the ambient temp is lower than the beer temp until they stabilize and even out. In your situation, the beer could ferment sometimes as high as 10º over ambient temperature. You will likely have to make some effort to keep the beer cooler than 56 while fermenting. Handy though, to have a place to lager.

 

[Nomad]

I thought as much. I'm going to ice the heck out of it.

 

[bratrules]

You can use a cooler to ferment in. Just stick your bucket/carboy in the cooler with water add some frozen water bottles and your set you can keep your temps at 49-50 easily. And since your basement is 56 you won't have change out your frozen bottles that often. I have that setup and it even works in the summer.