Simple question about yeast.

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MarcJWaters

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So, I am wondering how long the yeast stays alive after fermentation has stopped. As I do not plan on kegging, I need the yeast to be alive at bottling. Most of the recipes I read say 10/10 days in primary/secondary even though 90% of the batches I have done, the hydrometer balances out on day 7 or 8. Typically, that is when I bottled.

Advice?
 
Yeast will live for a long time, much longer than you need to be concerned with. Your methods could cause quality problems if you don't leave the beer on the yeast long enough for them to clean up a bit after fermentation ends. I would either leave in primary for three weeks before bottling or 1 week in primary and 2 weeks in secondary before bottling.
 
assuming you have not hit the yeast's alcohol tolerance they are still alive for quite some time. if they run out of food they just go dormant and fall to the bottom of the carboy. i routinely leave my beer on yeast for 3 weeks. others have left their beer on the yeast for months. the longer you leave the beer on the yeast the more they can clean up after themselves and give you a better beer.
 
The more you know...

Thanks. I am reteaching myself how to brew after casting off the youthful indiscretions of extract brewing. I am now doing All-Grain. Brewer's Best never hinted that you need to let them clean up after themselves - just wait until the hydrometer stabilized.
 
thats the thing with kits. they want you to buy as many as they can get you to buy. to that end they tend to rush you to the bottle so you will buy another kit sooner. i typically disregard kit instructions after the heat is turned off.
 
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