ldgenius2000

Recipes 

So I was looking to make a high gravity Saison, I don't know the particular OG because I have yet to really use my hydrometer. Nonetheless, made my wort, racked into my primary and pitched WLP565 Belgian Saison I Yeast into the wort. Fermentation started quickly and I maintained my temp at 75 F(which I now know is a bit low but I was going from whitelabs guidelines). A nice ring of krauzen and what I assume was flocculated yeast formed around the top. After maybe 4 days of heavy fermentation signs of fermentation seemed to have fallen off. I knew this strain of yeast would do something like this and had anticipated this in advance so I purchased a second yeast WLP530 Abbey Ale Yeast and after 10 days in primary racked to a secondary and pitched a starter with the Abbey. Within a few hours, it seemed like signs of fermentation had started again (airlock dancing away and CO2 bubbles were seen coming through the carboy). A day later fermentation seems vigorous but unusual. This is the first time I have done a second pitching of yeast and my concern is the following: other than a slight lacing of head at the top of the liquid line, there's no krauzen or what I had usually taken for flocculating yeast. Now I am pretty rigorous with my cleaning of the secondary and all syphon lines, but could this mean that I have an infection rather than the yeast fermenting? Any help you all can provide would be much appreciated.

IXVolt

Recipes 

Because the residual sugars remaining are much less, I would expect closer to what you saw for the secondary fermenting. Krausen levels are also yeast strain dependent.

All in all, I wouldn't worry. I would rely on the hydrometer more than the krausen. Also I doubt an infection, from what I've seen the further along the fermentation gets the more hostile the environment becomes and the less likely an infection becomes (given good sanitary practices).

RDWHAHB

Edcculus

Recipes 

The ring around where the krauzen formed it not flocculated yeast. Its a combination of calcium oxalate (beerstone), some dead yeast, some trub particles. I think your beer is fine. You probably didn't need to rack and repitch. Saison yeast usually stalls, but will kick back in if you warm it up.

I think the reason you didn't see as vigorous of a fermentation is that a lot of the protiens that exist to form the foam are used up. There was also a lot less sugar left for the second pitch, so fermentation was not as vigorous.

For further reference, flocculation is a term that referrers to a solute coming out of solution or suspension. In the case of yeast, it means the yeast are done with their thing and sink to the bottom of the vessel. A highly flocculent strain produce a clearer beer in less time. It might cause under attenuation if it drops out too fast though.