[theoman]

You all have managed to convince me that doing a secondary fermentation isn't necessary for most beers. I'm curious - is the opinion the same for lagers?

[denny]

You all have managed to convince me that doing a secondary fermentation isn't necessary for most beers. I'm curious - is the opinion the same for lagers?

Pretty much so.  I do. long primary, a d rest if needed, then keg for lagering.


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[Wheat_Brewer]

I transfer my lagers to a secondary bucket after primary fermentation is complete, usually a couple weeks after pitching. I know some people use kegs to lager...but I don't have enough kegs, or at least the discipline to keep a keg as a lagering keg for that long 

[tygo]

When I still bottled most of my beers I used a secondary to lager.  It works well for that.  Now that I keg I secondary in the keg.  I can usually keep enough beers on tap to keep me off of the lagering beers until they're ready.

[tomsawyer]

Not sure if this is correct but I consider a lagering period to be a secondary.  So I'd say no to your question.  You do want to secondary your lagers.  I typically let them ferment for a good three weeks or so, then a short d-rest and keg for lagering.  You want the beer on the yeast cake for the d-rest to be maximally effective, after that I see no reason to do a secondary prior to lagering since the beer will drop bright during lagering and if it doesn't you can fine during this time.

[nateo]

With any aspect of brewing, I've found it useful to stop and think about the why of what you're doing. Just because it's "common sense" doesn't mean it's actually necessary. What do you want to get out of a secondary, and can you get the same results without it?

[denny]

With any aspect of brewing, I've found it useful to stop and think about the why of what you're doing. Just because it's "common sense" doesn't mean it's actually necessary. What do you want to get out of a secondary, and can you get the same results without it?

You, sir, receive today's Gold Star for Pragmatism!  Good on ya!

[majorvices]

I transfer my lagers to a secondary bucket after primary fermentation is complete, usually a couple weeks after pitching. I know some people use kegs to lager...but I don't have enough kegs, or at least the discipline to keep a keg as a lagering keg for that long 

I'm surprised you don't have problems with acetobacter or oxidation by secondarying in a bucket. I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to secondary on anything that it not air tight. And really you need to purge the container with co2 as well or at the very least the headspace.

[tomsawyer]

If you transfer when theres still penty of CO2 in the liquid, I think it would kind of self-purge.  I don't think a bucket is going to let in acetobacter, thats not been my experience.  But some oxidation would eventually be possible.

[nateo]

You, sir, receive today's Gold Star for Pragmatism!  Good on ya!

Thanks Denny! Also, that wasn't a rhetorical question for the OP. I'm seriously wondering what specifically they want to get out of secondary-ing their lager.

[majorvices]

If you transfer when theres still penty of CO2 in the liquid, I think it would kind of self-purge.  I don't think a bucket is going to let in acetobacter, thats not been my experience.  But some oxidation would eventually be possible.

My experience is once the co2 is gone acetobacter gets in wether it's from a dry airlock or a bucket that has sat too long.  A bucket is a bad idea as a secondary from just about any standpoint unless you are starting up a second fermentation with fruit or something.

[denny]

You, sir, receive today's Gold Star for Pragmatism!  Good on ya!

Thanks Denny! Also, that wasn't a rhetorical question for the OP. I'm seriously wondering what specifically they want to get out of secondary-ing their lager.

I understand.  That's a valuable question to ask about any practice in home brewing.

[ynotbrusum]

I leave the lager in the primary for a month usually.  For a shorter time only if I need to free up a primary, but then I will lager it in the keg for a slightly longer period than is typical (a little more than one month).  I rarely do a d rest anymore.  When I rack to the keg, I do so with a keg that has been purged of O2 (I store my kegs under CO2 pressure with a little Star San in there, which I remove by depressing the out post on the keg.

Of course YMMV with a different SOP....

[a10t2]

My experience is once the co2 is gone acetobacter gets in wether it's from a dry airlock or a bucket that has sat too long.

FWIW, that hasn't been my experience. I try to lager in kegs, but when I need to I'll use a bucket, and I've never had any problems with contamination or oxidation. I generally lager for a month or so.

[majorvices]

My experience is once the co2 is gone acetobacter gets in wether it's from a dry airlock or a bucket that has sat too long.

FWIW, that hasn't been my experience. I try to lager in kegs, but when I need to I'll use a bucket, and I've never had any problems with contamination or oxidation. I generally lager for a month or so.

Weird. The only times i have ever had an acetobacter infections is in buckets where I let the beer sit in the primary too long. or in carboys where I was secondarying and forgot about it and the airlock went dry. I personally think secondarying in buckets is a terrible idea and I would completely advise against it. Totally surprised to see anyone with any brewing experience to have contrary views.