Timing for Racking lager to secondary

[Craigweiser]

I've brought my lager up to room temp for a diacetyl rest. Should I rack to the secondary before or after cooling to lager temp?

 

[Yooper]

I've brought my lager up to room temp for a diacetyl rest. Should I rack to the secondary before or after cooling to lager temp?

I do it before lagering.

 

[RCCOLA]

I chill to lager temp, ~32F before racking to drop some yeast out of primary.

 

[454k30]

See! Both are correct answers!

 

[mysteryshrimp]

If you rack warm without purging O2 first, you are at more risk of oxygenation during the process. You will likely never have a problem, but the chance is higher. As liquids cool, they can dissolve more gasses. By cooling with only CO2 in the head-space, you are making the dissolution be all CO2.

So the answer is that you should probably cool first, then rack. You will probably never see a difference if you are careful.

That's if you rack at all. You really don't have to get it off of the yeast unless you're lagering for six months or more.