I drop approx 16 hours later, and airlock activity is seen shortly after.
3 days, hmm, are you seeing airlock activity ?
Thanks
Yes, I have lots of airlock activity. The beer was not at high krausen yet when I moved it from the kettle to fermenter (performed the drop). It had a krausen and was fermenting, but intensity had not peaked. Even now on day 5 it has only dropped from 1055 to 1024. Lagers are slower. That said yesterday air lock activity was up and pretty respectable for a lager fermentation.
Based on some of the dumb things I have done in the past, I am not too worried about hurting the beer. Once a few years ago I tipped the fermenter and poured completely fermented beer into a keg through a funnel. I was frustrated after a million clogs during transfer. I poured more than half, probably 3/4th of the beer, that way. I figured I might have ruined it, but the beer turned out great. I won’t try my luck with that one again though.
I know I am a little crazy at times, but to me, it’s just beer. I don’t take it so seriously. If I screw it up, I’ll try again.