rocketman768

Recipes 

So, I usually rack to a secondary after the normal 7-10 days, but I decided to let my current batch stay in the primary vessel for 3-4 weeks and then I'll go straight to the bottles.

I've noticed that even after 2 weeks, I am still getting bubbles at a rate of about 1 per minute. I would think this would mean a good bit more attenuation than what most people get when racking to secondary...meaning I might actually see the 75% attenuation that's promised.

If you follow this method, has it typically resulted in such a long fermentation as this one? OG=1.045, yeast=Wyeast Kolsch, temp=70-75F BTW.

eschatz

Recipes 

what is your current gravity?

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play the bass, brew the beer

What's tappening? :D

WBC

Recipes 

14 days in the primary will usually be enough time to ferment any beer. You can test the gravity to be sure. A smaller pitching of yeast will extend this period of time somewhat and you will get more esters. Heavy beers also take longer.

__________________
Cheers,
WBC

Fermentor 1: Bill's House Ale II, Fermentor 2: German Helles, Fermentor 3: Bill's Schworzbier (Black Bier)
Tap 1: Bill's House Ale II, Tap 2: German Hefewizen, Tap 3: Nut Brown Ale
Future Brews: Stone IPA Clone, Blonde Ale, Budvar Clone, Newcastle Clone
New toy: Blichmann 27 gallon fermentor

“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment”

rocketman768

Recipes 

I just tested the gravity to be about 1.018. Psh, I was hoping maybe 1.011. I pitched the entire Wyeast Activator pack into 1.5 gallons of wort, so I was hoping that such a large amount of yeast (comparatively) would help get that gravity down.

BUT, the hydrometer sample was by far the tastiest one I've made so far! I was also smart and skimmed some of the krausen so I don't have to pay $7.00 for yeast next time.

chemystree

Recipes 

About saving the yeast, I think you would be better off harvesting the settled yeast at the bottom than from the krausen right? Aren't there bitter resins and stuff that also make their way up there in the krausen, while the yeast at the bottom is probably more pure?

WBC

Recipes 

Actually the krausen is the youngest yeast but you could save from the bottom too later after it is transferred to bottle bucket or kegs.

__________________
Cheers,
WBC

Fermentor 1: Bill's House Ale II, Fermentor 2: German Helles, Fermentor 3: Bill's Schworzbier (Black Bier)
Tap 1: Bill's House Ale II, Tap 2: German Hefewizen, Tap 3: Nut Brown Ale
Future Brews: Stone IPA Clone, Blonde Ale, Budvar Clone, Newcastle Clone
New toy: Blichmann 27 gallon fermentor

“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment”