forstmeister

Recipes 

I brewed an English BW last weekend with Maris otter and wyeast 1024. I made 2.5 gallons and put it in a 5 gallon carboy expecting explosive fermentation. It only developed about 6 inches of krausen and didn't even reach the blow off tube.

Has anyone else seen this? Should I be concerned or is this about right?

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forstmeister

Recipes 

I should also note that the OG was 1.088 after boil, mash was right around 152-154... And I threw a pound of brown sugar in at the end of the boil.

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Riseabovebb

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I would say that's about right. You had more than enough headspace.

peterj

Recipes 

"Only" 6 inches of krausen?? That sounds like a lot of krausen to me!

coosabrew

Recipes 

sounds like you should be fine. i like my barleywine mash a litle lower, about 148*, helps to ferment out.

forstmeister

Recipes 

Thanks all for the input. I wanted a bit of body in this one so I mashed high and added the sugar to bump the fermentables up higher.

I usually seem to get very active fermentation on my brews so this one was a surprise. Could be the yeast variety, I have not used this one before. Could just be a slow worker.

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Revvy

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The ONLY thing that matters is a drop in gravity, just like airlock bubbling, krausen size isn't a judgement of anything. I've had low grav beer put up and out a ton of yeast and big beers with tiny krausens...it's really not a gauge of anything.

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forstmeister

Recipes 

There is a ton of activity in the carboy. I shined a flashlight on the side and things were churning quite rapidly. I took off the blow off tube and replaced it with an airlock last night. It's only been 4 days so I don't want to take a reading yet.

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zachattack

Recipes 

I agree with Revvy that it's irrelevant, but FWIW I'd consider a 6" krausen pretty explosive.

Revvy

Recipes 

Then why are you worrying? You have fermentation, that's ALL that matters. There is no such thing as a good or bad fermentation, there just IS.

I just never get why folks need to hover over their fermenters like helicopter parents, micro managing and stressing out over every little detail. The yeast KNOW what they're doing, they've been doing this whether we wanted it or not for MILLIONS of years, they're the experts, they're in charge of this, NOT US.....You all would be much happier in life if you just RDWHAHB, like the man said, pitch your yeast and WALK AWAY!!!!

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Like my snazzy new avatar? Get Sons of Zymurgy swag, here, and brew with the best.

Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew