lager racking question

[irununo]

I have an amber lager with an og of 1.052 fermenting at 51degrees. I pitched wyeast 2124 bohemian lager yeast at 60degrees 7 days ago. I left it at about 60 degrees for about a day waiting for fermentation to kick in and then moved it to the fridge. Its been steadily bubbling and is currently bubbling once every 5 sec. It has a half inch of kraeusen ontop and large and small particles actively moving inside.
This is the first time I primary fermented at lager temps. In the past I primary fermented at about 64 degrees and lagered the secondary With good results. I can usually rack the beer by the 7th day because the fermentation is mostly complete and not as active.
Am I ready to rack?

 

[TheOnionKnight]

Take a gravity reading and then decide.

 

[irununo]

Specific Gravity reads 1.026 and with a target of 1013 its 2/3rd's fermented. I'll rack away.

 

[g-star]

Specific Gravity reads 1.026 and with a target of 1013 its 2/3rd's fermented. I'll rack away.

Why would you ever think it was a good idea to pull it off the yeast that far from terminal gravity???

Lagers take longer than ales when fermented at the proper temps. 2-3 weeks is usually minimum time required for primary fermentation/clean up/conditioning.

 

[osagedr]

Your first mistake was pitching at 60 then cooling. I suspect you underpitched as well. I hope I'm wrong. Your second mistake, if you indeed racked it, was moving the beer off the yeast before FG. Why would you do this? For future reference, for lagers the proper practise is to chill to fermentation temperature (or a few degrees below), pitch yeast at 1.5 million cells per millilitre per degree Plato, aerate to achieve 12ppm O2, ferment to within 6-8 points of FG, raise temperature for d-rest, leave for at least a few days, THEN rack. Lager about a day per gravity point.

Of course, you can make beer without following this series of steps--it just won't be as good.

 

[irununo]

i did underpitch. it should make it though. i'll take your advice and wait to rack it. fingers crossed.