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I have an Oktoberfest beer in Primary right now based on a kit from my LHBS. It's an average ABV ~5.5 and is fermented on California Lager Yeast and I'm controlling fermentation at ~62F.

Will this benefit from secondary and if so, any thoughts on how long? Lastly, as I still bottle condition, any differences due to lager yeast?

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Probably no need for a secondary vessel step with this. Depending on your fermentation temps up to this point you may not need to diacetyl rest this beer. California Lager yeast is generally fermented higher than standard lagers so the yeast may have cleaned that up by the time its done. I'd taste a sample of it to be sure.

If you want to truly lager this one, I'd say transfer to a secondary and start chilling it down.

However with Cali Lager my experience has been that if you let it go at 60-65 for three weeks, check the gravity and flavor; once its done fermenting you can rack and bottle as normal. Once carbonated you can store the bottles in the fridge and lager that way. Just don't lager then first or the bottles won't carbonate.

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  • I've had it fermenting at ~62. By 'done fermenting' am I looking for final gravity, flavor or both?
    – uSlackr
    Commented Sep 19, 2014 at 17:42
  • Both. If you hit FG early in a beer there is usually still work being done by the yeast that improves the beers flavor profile.
    – brewchez
    Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 16:33

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