Krausen ?

How much Krausen is a good indicator that the yeast is getting the job done? I have 3 gals in a 5 gal bucket with about 1/4 inch of Krausen. I noticed some other pictures with much more. Am I bad off here or will it turn out ok?

Any amount means the yeast is doing its job. Don't be one of those guys with krausen envy.

Depends...liquid yeast or dry yeast? Did you make a starter if you used liquid?

Without more information I would guess it is fine. Krausens come in all colors, and sizes. Everyone is different. I've had one look huge and it finished too high. Conversly, just brewed, had a small krausen and it finished the job nicely.

I made a wheat beer with biscuit special grain. Used dry yeast. About 5 grams for 3 gal. I screwed up my first batch so this was supposed to be my redemptive batch. . PS I do have Krausen envy. Why can't mine look like everyone else's? Boo hoo.

Size really doesn't matter.

ANother thing to realize is that you can't compare one brew to another. No two fermentations are 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.

Like Nurmey said, as long as you have a krausen in a fermenter...it's all good.

Thanks. The rest of the story is that I pitched at about 140 and really wasn't expecting any activity. I know it sounds crazy but I swear it on my mother's life. I was worried because I had no airlock activity but looked in the next morning and found the Krausen.

bigin31 said:

Thanks. The rest of the story is that I pitched at about 140 and really wasn't expecting any activity. I know it sounds crazy but I swear it on my mother's life. I was worried because I had no airlock activity but looked in the next morning and found the Krausen.

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Ugh..another airlock person

airlock bubbling, lack of airlock bubbling, stopped airlock bubbling, fast airlock bubbling, slow airlcok bubbling, heavy metal airlcok bubbling, or disco airlock bubbling really is not an indicator of what is happening to your beer, really isn't important, and it is NOT an accurate gauge of fermentation.

If your airlock was bubbling and stopped---It doesn't mean fermentation has stopped.

If you airlock isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean your fermentation hasn't started....

If your airlock starts bubbling, it really doesn't matter.

If your airlock NEVER bubbles, it doesn't mean anything is wrong or right.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that anything's wrong, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working dilligantly away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years....


The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

I've been schooled.......LOL. I understand. Unfortunately I was told a hydrometer was not a necessity to brew. And me being the cheap-o-potamus that I am I decided against one. I'm going to see how this one turns out. Thanks for the advice.

bigin31 said:

I've been schooled.......LOL. I understand. Unfortunately I was told a hydrometer was not a necessity to brew. And me being the cheap-o-potamus that I am I decided against one. I'm going to see how this one turns out. Thanks for the advice.

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While you can technically make quality beer without it, I highly recommend getting one. It can tell you a lot about your beer!

I made a 5 gal batch and split it between two Mr Beers. Used the 7 gram pack of Coopers and 15 gram of 05, The 05 Krausen was about a inch thick and the Coopers Krausens came up to the top of the barrel.