Odd Krausen

So, first time using Safale-05 and I pitched by pouring dry into the wort and stirring (yeah, I should of rehydrated first but I was dumb and I followed the packet instructions).

It took about a day to take off and krausened like nothing I've ever seen. Now, 5 days after pitching, there is still a kind of disgusting, gluey krausen that has only gone down a tiny bit. I just took the blow off tube off a few moments ago b/c it kept foaming up my airlocks.

I'm not really that disturbed, I'm sure it'll be fine, but I'm just curious if this is a normal Safale05 thing or maybe it has something to do with the fact I sprinkled the yeast on the top... thoughts?

That sounds pretty similar to my use of S-05. I used to use Nottingham a lot, but have switched to S-05 until they get their issues figured out. Compared to the crazy & fast fermentations with notty, the S-05 seems to have longer fermentations, a krausen that sticks around longer, and takes longer to floc out.

US-05 is not a true top cropping strain, but it can produce fermentation where the yeast accumulates on the surface of the beer.

I had two entirely different results with the same packet. Using the same base grain bill I made one ginger beer and one pale ale.
For the ginger beer I added honey and sprinkled dry, it foamed out the airlock.
For the pale ale, I made a starter, and while it went nuts for two days, there was barely 1/2". Went so fast I thought it might be stuck.

So... whats causing this disgusting dough-like Krausen??? I'm trying to dry hop this, but the crap isn't going away. I'm at 6 days post pitch and the foam-gunk is 1 inch from the top of the carboy.

Two pics of S-05 same brew day- different beer, 10 points different in OG. All sprinkled on top. Top pic is after 48 hours, and the bottom one is after 5 days.

Does yours look like either?

badmajon said:

So... whats causing this disgusting dough-like Krausen??? I'm trying to dry hop this, but the crap isn't going away. I'm at 6 days post pitch and the foam-gunk is 1 inch from the top of the carboy.

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Six days? Go two weeks and let's talk. The yeast is still probably active and fermenting.

sparkyaber said:

Two pics of S-05 same brew day- different beer, 10 points different in OG. All sprinkled on top. Top pic is after 48 hours, and the bottom one is after 5 days.

Does yours look like either?

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I don't think that looks all that odd... IMO.

Looks just like mine with us-05. Seems normal. Does take a couple weeks before it dies down.

peachwein said:

I don't think that looks all that odd... IMO.

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Not saying it is odd- just an example that the same yeast can look different while fermenting.

JRems said:

Looks just like mine with us-05. Seems normal. Does take a couple weeks before it dies down.

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Which carboy, the one on the right or the one on the left?

All krausen are odd looking. Why worry about it. If you have krausen you are good. Whether it looks like the mona lisa, a brain or more likely a pile of foamy goo is irrelevant.

All krausens look different, even using the same yeast on different batches.

The amount of krausen can vary for whatever reason, it can come quick and depart quickly or it can linger long after fermentation is complete, and it all be normal.

There is nothing "typical" in brewing...every fermentation is different, and should not be used to compare one with another...you can't do that.

No two fermentations are ever exactly the same.

When we are dealing with living creatures, there is a wild card factor in play..Just like with other animals, including humans...No two behave the same.

You can split a batch in half put them in 2 identical carboys, and pitch equal amounts of yeast from the same starter...and have them act completely differently...for some reason on a subatomic level...think about it...yeasties are small...1 degree difference in temp to us, could be a 50 degree difference to them...one fermenter can be a couple degrees warmer because it's closer to a vent all the way across the room and the yeasties take off...

Someone, Grinder I think posted a pic once of 2 carboys touching each other, and one one of the carboys the krausen had formed only on the side that touched the other carboy...probably reacting to the heat of the first fermentation....but it was like symbiotic or something...

With living micro-organisms there is always a wildcard factor in play...and yet the yeast rarely lets us down. So it is best just to rdwhahb and trust that they know to what they are doing. It sounds like you are brewing by a calendar, or instructions and not by what your beer is really doing, the problem is that yeast don't know how to read so they seldom follow their scripts. They dance to their own tune and its seldom 4 x 4 Time.

Don't assume the worst with the yeast, realize that they've been making beer since long before our great great great grandfather copped his first buzz from a 40 of mickey's out back of the highschool, so they are the experts.

Yeasts are like teenagers, swmbos, and humans in general, they have their own individual way of doing things.

And worrying because it's not happening how fast or slow you think it should be is really not worth the energy.

It may not be what you expected it to be but that doesn't mean anything's wrong.