Lagering Czeck style beer

[dan287]

Hi All,
I've just made a batch of Czech style lager based on Greg Hughes recipe, and it's ready to lager. My question is - do I transfer the beer to bottles and prime before lagering, or do I lager first then bottle. I'll be putting it in the fridge, probably taking the temperature down a few degrees to 3 over a period of four or five days.
Any ideas or advice gratefully received


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[MyQul]

You can do both. If you have the option to bulk lager then transfer to bottes after you've lagered that's better

 

[strange-steve]

Lagering is usually done in bulk, ie before bottling. If possible get the temperature down around 1°C and hold for 6 weeks or so :thumb:

 

[dan287]

Do you think that I should rack it off the yeast before lagering if I do it in bulk, and will the yeast still be viable after a month or so at low temps?


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[strange-steve]

Yep rack to a secondary before lagering. There should still be enough yeast for bottle conditioning but if you had a particularly high og then it may not be the healthiest, in which case you'd probably be best adding a pack of US05 or the like at bottling.

 

[dan287]

Do you then bottle condition at 3 degrees or at a higher temp?


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[strange-steve]

Nah the yeast won't be active at that temperature so bottle condition at 18° or so for a few weeks then if possible store them somewhere cold.