I made a Caribou Slobber (doesn’t really matter though because this question isn’t recipe specific).
The yeast went nuts for about 24 hours…then nothing…completely stopped.
So what am I waiting for now? Is it done doing what it needed to do? Can I go to the keg now even though it’s only been a couple days? And if not, please tell me why I need to wait and is there a way to know how long is the correct amount of time to wait.
I am not being impatient…I am perfectly okay waiting as long as I need to…I am just trying to understand better what it’s doing now that I am waiting on (is the flavor profile not where it should be until it’s been closer to weeks?).
The yeast continue to clean up intermediate compounds made during fermentation (such as acetaldehyde, diacetyl) after the krausen has dropped, and certainly after our precious make-the-homebrewer-feel-good bubbles stop.
Only way to know if the beer is fermented is by taking a hydrometer/corrected refractometer reading. Only way to know if the yeast has cleaned up these compounds is by tasting it (or having an experienced taster/judge taste it). 10 days is a good benchmark though.
I always leave it for at least 2 weeks. The yeast will finish cleaning up after themselves and it will clear better for racking into the keg. The beer will always be better after aging for 3-4 weeks anyway, so I wouldn’t rush it.
