Lager Schedule

[BPal75]

So I've been looking around on the boards and seen several different opinions on lager fermentation process but none I could easily say won out as the favorite. So I figured I would post again here and try to get a vote for which process people prefer. Let's assume that a diacetyl rest is necessary.

1) Pitch at 50 and ferment until 80% complete. Bring temp up to 60 for 3-4 days and then slowly bring down to lager temps over the next 3-4 days. Lager for 30+ days.

2) Pitch at 50 and ferment until 80% complete. Bring temp up to 60 and let beer sit in primary for 2-3 weeks. Bring down to lager temps and lager for 30+ days.

3) Pitch at 50 and ferment until 80% complete. Bring up to 60 for 3-4 days and then bring back down to 50 for 2-3 weeks. Bring down to lager temps and lager for 30+ days.

I typically follow schedule #1, but I find in that scenario my beer typically is only in primary for about 2 weeks before I transfer to my lagering vessel. This always feels wrong to me because I, like many here, prefer to leave my ales in primary for at least 3 weeks before taking the beer off the yeast, to make sure any and all off-flavors are cleared.

My lagers have always turned out fine, and I'm sure it's just me be obsessive, but I have wondered if I left it on the yeast longer would be even better. Thoughts?

 

[QuaffableQuips]

I've always done schedule #1 as well. Depending on the yeast I'll pitch as low as 45 degrees, just depends on the strain and how big of a starter I have. And even though I know I'm supposed to slowly lower the temperature, I never do. After primary is done, I pull the bucket out of the chamber, drop the temp to 32, and rack from the primary to a keg. Then put the keg in the chamber and let it free fall. Between the large volume of lager and the considerably larger air volume in the freezer, it usually takes a couple of days to get there anyway.