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How cold is too cold for a lager

Robin Foster

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Hello.  We made our first lager beer, and I was told after a week to put it into the secondary and let it set for about 6 weeks in about 45 degrees.  Well, my garage is about 40 degrees right now, but the temp outside is 33.  However, when it dips into the teens tonight, I'm sure it will be colder.  My question is, how cold is too cold to store it in.  This is a Vienna Lager titled Vienna #1 that I got off of this site.  Where I have it stored right now, it's about 64 and I'm assuming this is too warm.  Any advice would be helpful.  Thanks.
 
As long as primary fermentation was finished and the beer doesn't freeze, you can be in the mid to low 30's with most lager yeasts.

If primary never got above 50 plus had a properly sized & oxygenated yeast pitch, then it won't need a diacetyl rest, either.

If the primary didn't finish, then it's a good idea to bring the beer into the house and let it finish for 48 to 72 hours. Then put it back into the cold.
 
My question is, how cold is too cold to store it in.

Cold enough to freeze. Other than that you're good.

When I make lager I rack it to secondary after it is done fermenting, and when it is clear it goes into a keg. There it remains, near 35 degrees in the cooler, until it is time to drink it or a month has passed, whichever comes later.  It may not be textbook, but the proof is in the pudding as they say.
 
You could put a heat belt on it to keep it from freezing then you dont need to move it around. Thats what I do in my insulated garage if it gets too cold. Leave it like that until you reach final gravity and even after that until you bottle.

I find lagers fermenting at around 45 -50 f need 3 weeks to finish. Then they can go into the fridge for lagering or kegging.  Your brew depends on what  temperature you fermented it at and the  resulting gravity when you transferred to a secondary. If it's not finished fermenting yet you will need longer at primary fermentation temperature.

You should insulate a spot, box, the garage , use a heatlamp, , or use an old unplugged  fridge  to help stabilize the temperature- keep it from swinging up or down too much if you plan to keep making lagers. Anyway it will turn out and you will enjoy drinking it. CHEERS!
 
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