Lagering

A lot of you don't believe it, but I've brewed many excellent beers that fermented at about 80F. Even the one I complained about got better with age.

Now I have temperature control and have my first completely home made recipe fermenting.

So... I may do a lager next.

Is 3 weeks primary still good?
What is the optimal temp?
How long to bottle carb?
Do you bottle carb at fermentation temp or room temp?
Once chilled are they ready?

Thanks.

Lagers are completely different animals!

FWIW, here's what I do;
I chill to a couple degrees below pitching temp, and pitch no less than the equivalent number of cells of 4 Wyeast packs. Set the fermentation temp at the lower end of the yeast manufacturers recommendation (usually mid to high 40's) and allow to warm up to that after 90 seconds of pure 02 (sintered stone & 02 tank). Pitch cool and pitch lots! Hold at fermentation temp for approx. two to three weeks and check gravity. If gravity is getting within 5 points of estimated FG, raise temperature by 10-12 degrees for a week or so (this gives the lager yeast a more active state to finish the remaining sugars and "clean up" any fermentation by-products like diacetyl and acetaldehyde). After FG has been reached and I'm confident that byproducts are reduced, slowly begin to chill the wort (1-2 degrees per day) to lagering temperatures. After it reaches that temperature (usually 34-36F) the beer will have cleared somewhat. I then transfer to a lagering vessel and leave it to condition for about six weeks or more depending on the recipe and OG.

I keg and have never bottle conditioned a lager, but from what I have read, it's pretty much the same as any other beer, assuming it hasn't been lagering for a significant amount of time (months and months).

Hope this helps!