allanmac00

Recipes 

I brewed an ESB on Sunday night, and it started off gangbusters. First thing Monday morning, krausen was already blowing out of the blowoff tube. By this point it's mostly receded back into the carboy (6 gallon). But there's still a really thick, almost 2" layer of krausen that's usually been gone by this point on most of my previous beers.

I used Wyest Thames yeast with a starter. OG on this beer is 1.050, and it's been kept at a consistent 65F. Is it possible that this is the ideal fermentation, and that I've just under-fermented all my previous beers (if the krausen is gone after a few days)? Or did I over-pitch? Or do I need to just relax?

jcarson83

Recipes 

Relax. The temperature is low, which is good, so your krausen should hang around a little longer. Unless you dumped in a 4 liter starter I don't think you over pitched.

Revvy

Recipes 

You have krausen to the point when it falls.

In other words don't worry. No fermentation is ever the same, and it is an organic process, so it has it's own timeframe and agenda, which is often totally different from ours.

If you have krausen you have fermentation, and that is all that matters.

And when it's over, it's over. Just let it happen.

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kahunaman

Recipes 

I am in a similar boat with an AHB double chocolate stout. It's been fermenting for over 2 weeks, and it still has a very thick layer of almost pillowy caramel Krausen on the top of it... normally by now all of my krausen in other brews would have fallen and become trub.
Anyone else get this from the double choco stout?

KayaBrew

Recipes 

I hear a lot of opinions abount under pitching, but is it possible to OVER pitch?

dontman

Recipes 

Yes, absolutely.

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Ale to the Chief

Recipes 

Is it OK to rack while the krausen is still on top? Is it going to taste like crap if I suck any of that in??

Revvy

Recipes 

Why do you want to rack?

Have you taken a hydrometer reading?

If it has krausen it isn't done fermenting yet.

I don't know if you get this, but you are not in charge, the yeasts are. Get outta the habit of thinking about it being your time table, it's the yeasties who are the experts and the bosses of the beer. When it is done doing what it needs to do, the krauzen will fall.

Quite a few of us just leave our beers in primary for 4 weeks, then bottle, the yeast finish feremnting then they clean up the byproducts of fermentation...It makes for great beer.

Patience and you will be rewarded

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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

Ale to the Chief

Recipes 

the beer's ready to be racked. it's been in the primary for 2 weeks and i've reached my final gravity. but there is still a thick, fluffy krausen (maybe that is not the right word) sitting on top of the beer. I didn't know if I have to wait for that to fall before I can rack.

Joker

Recipes 

What type of brew and what is your gravity reading right now? I have had some brews still bubbling at two weeks. There are a lot of variables.