I ferment using a freezer set to a temperature typically 6º F cooler than my target fermentation temperature. This has never ceased to get me within 2º of my target fermentation temperature. However, I pretty exclusively brew ales, and mostly all using the same 4-5 American and British yeast strains (Chico, Pacman, BRY-97, S-04, and 1968). I tried my hand at a pale lager for the first time in a decade of brewing (5.5 gallons with S-189, 5.5 gallons with MJ Bohemian Lager) and got active fermentation rolling at just 2º warmer than my ambient temperature. This means I am 4º below my target temperature of 52º F. I adjusted the temp control to let it get a few degrees warmer, but I am wondering if lager yeasts tend to produce less heat during fermentation than ale yeasts do. Does anyone have experience with this?