Lager Question/Help

[youdaman10]

I'm in the middle of my first lager. I is a big dopplebock extract receipt. It is also my first attempt at a lager. All seems well after the first week in the primary. My question is this: I would normally rack my ales off the settlement after the first week in the primary. I have around 1 1/2 to 2 inches of settlement in a 6 1/2 gallon carboy in the fridge around 48 degrees F. Should I rack the beer off the settlement now and again at 4 weeks or just leave it for the four weeks? The receipt calls for 4 weeks in primary and 2 in secondary. I've always felt (with ales) that it is best to get the settlement away from the beer as soon as practical. What to do?

[BillyBock]

I would leave it until it's done fermenting. Lagers take a lot longer than ales. My lagers typically drop an average of 4 specific gravity points per day. So for your big beer, it could easily take 2 to 3 weeks just to finish fermenting to terminal gravity.