Yeast Clean up Time

[Jhedrick83]

How long after you notice the FG level out do you wait to bottle? I've read a lot about time for the yeast to "clean up" and some of the negative byproducts to break down but not much info on how you know when to bottle. FWIW, after I bottle, everyone rests for 2 weeks before I try one.

 

[McKnuckle]

You're going to get a bunch of answers all over the place, from people bottling as soon as possible, to others who keep it in the fermenter for weeks out of an abundance of caution.

In a professional setting, beer that has reached FG and the degree of warm conditioning (clean up) that the brewer wants, will be immediately removed from the yeast and dropped in temperature to settle and clarify. They use a separate "bright tank" for this, which is why homebrewers, always emulating the pros, established the now-discouraged concept of a secondary.

Home brewers are better off either transferring warm beer directly to bottles/keg, or briefly cold crashing to further clarify in bulk, then bottling/kegging. The beer will clear to its finished level in the package itself. In a keg this works great. Bottles require some extra care at serving time.

Cold crashing in some fermenters is problematic because the drop in temperature causes a vacuum, sucking air through the airlock into the beer, along with the airlock liquid. You have to actively avoid that or it's not advised to do at all.

So to answer the question ... FG plus a couple of days ought to do it. You can wait a little longer if that scares you, assuming your fermenter is completely sealed and your sanitation is impeccable. But there is arguably little or no benefit to waiting - IMHO.

 

[Kharnynb]

a few days is usually a good idea, especially if you don't have too accurate temperature control or your yeast has been stressed due to underpitching.

 

[Sammy86]

So to answer the question ... FG plus a couple of days ought to do it. You can wait a little longer if that scares you, assuming your fermenter is completely sealed and your sanitation is impeccable. But there is arguably little or no benefit to waiting - IMHO.

What he said!

 

[JimRausch]

Can't disagree with Mcknuckle and Sammy who have been around about as long as I have! But, I'm guessing they both keg. I still bottle, as you are asking about. There is a little difference. Not in the "cleanup phase", which I agree if it's needed at all, can just be a couple days. But, there is a difference in the 'clearing phase' which in a keg happens there. I always cold condition, still in the original fermenter, for a couple weeks, and sometimes hit it with gelatin before bottling. I like my beer to be clear.

 

[Jag75]

Leaving your beer in the fv longer will aid in limiting sediment in your bottles.

 

[Jhedrick83]

Can't disagree with Mcknuckle and Sammy who have been around about as long as I have! But, I'm guessing they both keg. I still bottle, as you are asking about. There is a little difference. Not in the "cleanup phase", which I agree if it's needed at all, can just be a couple days. But, there is a difference in the 'clearing phase' which in a keg happens there. I always cold condition, still in the original fermenter, for a couple weeks, and sometimes hit it with gelatin before bottling. I like my beer to be clear.

Tomorrow is my first brew adding some Whirlfloc. I’m not super picky about the haze at this point but clearer is better. I’ll look more into cold conditioning as well.

 

[schmurf]

I don't think there is a point in time when the yeast tell themselves, "ok FG reached, start cleaning up". There are a myriads of yeast cells and they all are in different phase and doing their things.

 

[Miraculix]

It depends on the beer.

If you have something very hoppy then the sooner the better.

If you have something English with loads of yeast flavour, the sooner the better, as the yeast tends to clean up too much of the flavour which you actually want in your beer.

For everything else, two to three days should be enough, but if the beer benefits from aging, I wouldn't mind leaving it on the yeast for a few weeks longer, given that the fermenter is air tight.

 

[Brews and Blues]

Those who cold crash, are you literally moving your primary fermenter (in my case a brew bucket) into a fridge for a few days, yeast and all? Or would it be benificial for me to siphon to a keg, sealing, and then leaving in the fridge for a few days before applying the co2?

 

[McKnuckle]

If you are kegging, then cold crashing in the fermenter is a superfluous step. Just rack to the keg, put it in the cold and apply gas immediately. Waiting has no benefit. That way it carbs, clears, and conditions all at once.

 

[Brews and Blues]

If you are kegging, then cold crashing in the fermenter is a superfluous step. Just rack to the keg, put it in the cold and apply gas immediately. Waiting has no benefit. That way it carbs, clears, and conditions all at once.

Great! Less work the better!

 

[ReaperOnefour]

Two weeks in primary, 2-3 weeks in bottle, then in fridge for about a week. I've never had any issues with this approach. My beer always comes out tasting great.