My first lager

[Brewhandy]

My first lager ever is rounding 2 weeks at a chill 52F right now. Fermentation has slowed to a near stop and it’s visibly clearing up. I would love nothing better than to bottle it for a 1 month turnaround grain to beer in a glass but I am worried about the usual stuff. Looking for finishing recommendations.
1. Straight to the bottles with dextrose. Pros: beer sooner. Cons: Diacetyl likely
2. (Modified from Brulosiphy) Up the temp for a few days and then drop down cold gor a few days to add a week. Pros: less diacetyl and overall cleaner(?) Con: 1 week longer for beer.
3. Other: Con-Longer for beer.
please advise

Notes: It’s a Pilsner with Saaz, Tradition, and Tettnang (sub). Did my first decoction (edit from concoction lol). OG 1.055

 

[Sammy86]

I've found my lagers do better with time...i'm a warm fermented lager guy...so day 10 I'm cold crashing and gelatin, day 13-14 in the keg. Two weeks minimum lager and good to go.

Two weeks after that even better...so if i were you, I'd raise temp for a D-Rest, cold crash/gelatin. Bottle, let them condition for two weeks and throw it in the fridge and enjoy!

 

[Brewhandy]

Hmm. I have not used gelatin yet.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Near the end of fermentation, move the fermenter to a warmer location to clean-up DMS, sulfur, etc from the lager fermentation.

What about 2 weeks primary, 1 week secondary and then package?

 

[Brewhandy]

I have decided to ramp up the thermostat today (day 10). I haven’t ever done a secondary fermentor. This batch is in a pair of 3 gallon carboys. Everthing else I have is 1 gallon except my 6 gal Ale Pail bucket and that won’t fit in my fridge w/ thermostat with the airlock on. Always something. Right now, the ambient temps where I live range from 79-78F in the day and 55-65 at night so I’m going to keep in the fridge w/ temp regs. After a few days w the warmer temps I will drop to colder.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Want the yeast to clean up the diacetyl (normally present in lagers).

 

[camonick]

Want the yeast to clean up the DMS (normally present in lagers).

Do you possibly mean diacetyl? I think the only way to get rid of DMS is during the boil.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Argh... yes diacetyl. Sorry, long day.

 

[Brewhandy]

Here’s the twin 3 gal carboys now. Should be 4.5 gallons to drink. I had a chance to add 1/2 gal water to go from 1.055 to 1.049 OG but I chose to leave it.

 

[jtgoral]

This works great for my lagers: How to Stop Worrying & Lager

 

[Brewhandy]

This works great for my lagers: How to Stop Worrying & Lager

I like it.