So I had my time-management all wrong (final exams are to blame) and I am in a bind. I brewed my first lager, an Oktoberfest, on the 2nd of December. Now it’s the 11th, and it’s not done fermenting (still plenty of airlock activity and a little krausen). Tomorrow morning I am leaving for a month. Should I leave it in primary (current temp is 52F) the whole time, then D-rest in January and lager throughout Feb and March? Should I D-rest today, even though it’s not done, and then transfer tomorrow? Should I rack it without a D-rest tomorrow morning and lager?
My fermentation fridge holds two carboys. Along with the Oktoberfest in primary and an Altbier (made with WY 1007) in secondary in the same fridge. I was hoping to lager the altbier at the same time as the Octoberfest (but possibly kegging it after a month of lagering, while letting the Oktoberfest lager for longer). In retrospect, I should have brewed the Oktoberfest first, since the 1007 finished primary in 4 days at D-rest temp. If I leave the Altbier in secondary at about 50F for a month (it’s been in secondary for a month already), will that beer be ready to drink, or should I let it lager at 32F for a month or two (or three)?
I too think your best option is to leave the beer at 50f. After another month at primary fermentation temps you won’t have to do a D-rest. That long primary is your D-rest.
While I’m not a big fan of leaving the beer on the yeast for longer than necessary, it is better than rushing it and ending up with a sweet and unfinished beer.
I would leave the beer in the primary. At the lower temperature it will continue to work, and I regularly let my lagers go for weeks longer than typical ale fermentations.