So, I've been doing several lagers lately, and after pulling them out of the ferm chamber at 70% attenuated, I have been letting them sit for a while at 66 degrees. This system works well for me as I can move new lagers into the chamber to ferment while the first ones are doing their D rest. My question is, how long can I leave them sit at 66? My thought is that fermentation is over for the most part, so it shouldn't matter too much. The yeast is doing its cleanup and likely getting rid of all of the diacetyl, so I have just been letting them go.
I am on my fourth lager now, but I haven't tasted any of them yet. The Maibock that I did first took forever to get rid of the diacetyl, like two weeks after I pulled it. I did three diacetyl tests before I was confident it was gone. I really don't like pulling samples much, for risk of infection. I was thinking of just leaving them at 66 for 2-3 weeks after ferm and then start lagering. Will this affect the flavor much or do ye think all of that is done after the first 70% of fermentation?
I am on my fourth lager now, but I haven't tasted any of them yet. The Maibock that I did first took forever to get rid of the diacetyl, like two weeks after I pulled it. I did three diacetyl tests before I was confident it was gone. I really don't like pulling samples much, for risk of infection. I was thinking of just leaving them at 66 for 2-3 weeks after ferm and then start lagering. Will this affect the flavor much or do ye think all of that is done after the first 70% of fermentation?