Lagering in conical, yes or no?

[bulldogwinters]

I just recently purchased a SSbrewtech 7 gal Chronical with temp control and am planning on starting to brew lagers now that I can control my temp. My biggest question is, since I've never done a lager before, nor have I used a conical before... Should I lager it in the conical after dumping the trub/yeast from the bottom? or should I transfer into a keg to lager? My biggest issue is fridge space, I can fit two kegs in at a time, and I don't have anything that could fit a carboy in it to lager.

Thoughts, experiences, opinions?

 

[erock2112]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about lagering on top of trub. Dump it if it's convenient and makes you feel better, but I don't think you *need* to transfer.

My concern with the conical would be whether it can maintain lager temperature. I might do a test run with plain water just to see how cold you can keep it. I've lagered in a keg before. The only problem I have is that it's too easy to take "just a taste" to see how it's coming along. By the time it's ready, the keg is half empty!

If the conical can hold temperature well enough, it's just a question of where you'd rather take up the space.

 

[Berk]

Following this thread, I have the same chronical. Brewed my first lager, an Oktoberfest, on 2/7. Had a Wyeast 2633 starter on the stirplate for 21 hours. oxygenated for 60 seconds. Pitched at 65 degrees (both starter and wort). The FTSS took the temp down to 50 in less than an hour after pitching. Fermentation was evident by the next morning.

Ambient temp in my garage fluctuates from 50 to 65 daily. I do have the FTSS holding the temp between 50 and 53 as the highest, according to the thermowell. The chill water is in a 5 gallon corny keg filled with water, in my 35 degree keezer. I'm thinking of dumping some Trub tomorrow, but not sure if I should.

 

[bulldogwinters]

I've decided I'm going to test my FTSs by lagering my next beer, an Irish red ale.. Just to see how low I can get and hold the temp in my living room (ambient temp around 70-75)

 

[SandstoneCityBrew]

I've decided I'm going to test my FTSs by lagering my next beer, an Irish red ale.. Just to see how low I can get and hold the temp in my living room (ambient temp around 70-75)

I just had a pilsner going in the basement. Ambient temp was around 60. I was holding fermentation temps at 50. I was changing out frozen bottles, and adding ice first thing in the morning, and again at night.

 

[augiedoggy]

I've decided I'm going to test my FTSs by lagering my next beer, an Irish red ale.. Just to see how low I can get and hold the temp in my living room (ambient temp around 70-75)

wait wouldnt that make it an irish red lager? or do you plan to use ale yeast at lager temps?

 

[bulldogwinters]

wait wouldnt that make it an irish red lager? or do you plan to use ale yeast at lager temps?

No, I plan on using an ale yeast at low ale temps and then dumping the trub and dropping the temp down as low as it will go

 

[osagedr]

Yes, drop the yeast then lager it in your conical if you are in no rush to have the vessel free. If you are able to easily get it off the yeast, do it.