Lagering

[impatient one]

It's my understanding that at about 65ish yeast does most of its job in the first 7-14 days. I've brewed a Vienna lager and I'm not sure of the next steps.

I understand that I need to carboy and let it sit for a few weeks. Everything I've read is that it needs to sit at Temps around 34-40 degrees. I don't have a refrigerator for consistent temperatures so I've decided to put it in my shed. Evening temperatures are going to be around 34 and daytime temperatures around 40ish.
Will there be any major problems with this temperature fluctuation? Do I need to let it condition longer or shorter? Plus I read that bottling at the right time is essential. So how do I know when is the RIGHT time? And if it is still hazy, what can I use to clear it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bassman2003]

Well, your main consideration is if the yeast stay alive or active since you are bottling. By lowering the temperature you will be effectively putting them to sleep and they will not be active to carbonate after bottling very well. The only way to keep the yeast active in this scenario is if it is lager yeast you are using and you lower the temps very slowly like 5 degrees F a day.

So you might want o bottle first, get your carbonation built up then put the bottles into lagering. There will be more sediment in the bottles but the beer will be better.

 

[impatient one]

Using Nottingham yeast

 

[Rish]

Unless you need the fermenter, you can just leave there until it clears. I leave all my beers in the fv for at least 4 weeks which helps with conditioning and clearing. If you need the fv, rack to your carboy and let it clear at room temp. Then you can do as Bassman2003 suggested and bottle, let it carb up then lager in the bottles in your shed. Good luck!

 

[hottpeper13]

Notty should clear in 2-3 weeks in primary at any temp. Mine right now is at 60* and 2 weeks and is clear. My SOP is 3 weeks primary.
I would bottle at 3 weeks, condition at 70*75* for 3 weeks then somewhere as close to 40* as you can. I'ts important to not have temp fluctuations so in the fridge or in the shed covered with blankets.
Even thou Notty is an ale yeast the beers I brew with it are better after 3-4 weeks lagering.

 

[jdauria]

The main purpose of lagering is to let the beer clear, condition and clean up after itself. Fridge temps are best but storing it in a closet or basement at room temp will work but can take longer to clear. In a shed in Ohio, my concern would be if you get really cold weather and temps drop below freezing, how cold would the shed get? If the shed gets too cold, then you risk freezing the beer. Nothing wrong with an Eis bock though!

Saying that, you really did not make a lager if you used Nottingham., you made a Vienna style ale. Since you used ale yeast, you really don't need a long conditioning time as if it were a lager. I would just put in in the shed for just a few days max to cold crash it. The bottle it up and let it condition and carb for a few weeks in the bottles.