As with any lager production, proper lagering time is needed to clarify and refine the beer. Unfortunately we have yet to find an easy low oxygen solution to fining/filtering to accelerate that so we are stuck using other methods, namely time, temperature and yeast strain. Finding a medium to medium-high flocculating yeast is going to be a big help, because its a double edged sword: too much flocculation may not get you to final gravity. Personally I love Wyeast 2206. For me it ferments well, leaves a perfect amount of residual sulfur, and drops decently fast.

Traditionally you are supposed to lager 1 week for every degree Plato of original gravity. With the right yeast strain you can get a pretty clear and good tasting beer in 4 weeks, and in 6 weeks you should pretty much be drinking a beer with commercial quality clarity.

With my methods I am usually at final gravity by day 7-9. I then slowly chill the beer until it hits around 32-33 degrees. It then sits there until it goes to the serving vessel, which for me is 40 °F.

I try and have beers ahead so I can give it the proper time frames to be at peak. I have found you can start drinking these beers about 3 weeks from brew day, the Germans basically call it kellerbier, which is cloudy, unfiltered lager beer essentially.

In any case, using fining agents will have to be at your own risk. In all the trials with different methods I have yet to achieve the needed 0.15 ppm standard, but we still actively test. Right now patience is key!