I would like to brew a lager.
I have a fridge with a controller to put the fermenter in.
I have three gallon kegs that I can lay sideways in the freezer compartment of my keg fridge.
Any reason that this would be a bad idea?
Only thing I could see would be some haze when you tip it up to serve because the yeast/proteins/etc that settle out would be on the side. But, I think that once they form larger clumps, they will fall out pretty quick when you have it set up.
Horizontal lagering tanks are how big lager breweries do it. The beer clears quicker as the “stuff” has less height to settle out of. If you can keep them sealed good. Then if you can rack to a fresh keg while the original are on the side it would work.
I have time to let my Cornies settle, FWIIW.
What temperature is the freezer compartment? If it is much colder than 30F I would be careful since it could freeze your beer. Not that that is inherently bad with all beers, but you would have to thaw it before drinking.
The height of a corny is not near the height of a 7 bbl conical. I have found I get clear beer fairly quickly by lagering at -1C, which is what is typical in Germany. Colder is better, but -1C is essentially Tom’s 30F lower limit, so I would not go lower than that.
I’ve done it with every lager I’ve made for the last 10 years. No problem.
You could also just serve with the keg sideways to avoid disturbing the sediment.
But then you’d have to hold your glass sideways…
Amazing
After it’s done lagering do you just stand the keg up, let it set for a while and start serving?
Or do you transfer to another keg before setting the lagering keg upright?
99% of the time, the former. Once in a while I have to do the latter, but not as a matter of course.
So some sediment sticks to the side of the keg and the remainder settles out once the keg is righted?
Yep. Although I try to make sure the beer is as clear as possible before laying it down to lager.