Lager dilemma

[FedoraDave]

Of course, these are the kids of problems you wanna have. But I'm just thinking of a timeline. Here's the sitch....

I've got a case of Amber's Amber Lager already bottled and in the lager fridge. In fact, today is the day I begin to drop the temperature, since it's been two weeks since I bottled it, and carbonation (at 54ºF) should be complete. I'm aiming to have it cold crash until March, which is when my friend Amber's birthday is, and I can send her a couple bottles to celebrate. That's a good lager period.

And I'll be able to brew my Ottertoberfest then, too, which I intend to keep lagered in a secondary throughout the summer and keg in September, so it's ready for the season.

BUT

I wondered if I could get a pilsner in there in between. I mean, if I get the temperature on the Amber into the 30s and transfer the bottles to the dorm fridge in the Man Cave™, they'll stay cold, and I can ferment the pils, bottle it, carbonate it, begin to drop the temp, and get it all done by the time I want to brew the Märzen. I just don't know if I have enough cold space to keep the pils and the rest of the Amber cold....

Or can I keep the pils in the lager fridge while I'm fermenting the Märzen?

FYI, the Amber and the pils would both be smaller batches - 2.5 or 3 gallons. The Ottertoberfest is a fiver.

[mashani]

You don't have to keep it cold once the lagering period is over. It will last the same as any other beer at room temp. The lagering just helps to reduce remaining esters, acetaldehyde, diacetyl, etc. But once it's done that, it's done that. So you can just sock a batch away in some cool dark corner and get back to it later.

[FedoraDave]

Thank you. I kind of thought so, but it's nice to have the confirmation. I'll sock 'em away on the cellar slab in a black plastic garbage bag, like I do with my bottled ales. That will keep them a little lower than typical room temperature, even in summer.