Super thick Krausen

So this brew was the first time I used starsan. There was a moderate amount of foam in the carboy when I racked the beer into it. Once the carboy was filled and put in the fermenting chamber, there was about 2" of foam on top of the soon to be beer. I figured it would be good to help thwart nasties and from what I read isnt a big deal. This has been fermenting for 8 days now and the krausen hasnt fallen. it just looks like super thick foam.

Im not horribly worried, but does this look out of the ordinary? my last four brews I sanitized with idophor and after a few days the krausen fell and the top looked fairly plain with the exception of a few CO2 bubbles.

thoughts?

Looks 100% normal. You've got a good thing going there. Don't fear the foam. I've heard it actually becomes yeast food more or less.

what yeast ?

brew_ny said:

what yeast ?

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Safale US-05 yeast. This is my attempt at an IPA of my own recipe. It also had 8oz of flaked barley for head retention, so I think that might be why the bubbles are big and thick.

I agree with iowabrew. Your krausen looks perfectly normal. The krausen on my last 2 batches look almost identical.

That's normal. The lower the temp (within ideal range),the slower & cleaner the ferment. Patience grasshopper...

Indyoshi said:

Safale US-05 yeast.

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I have used US-05 for my last three brews and will do two more this week with it

as I do like the way it ferments at 64 - 66 degrees wort temp

it does have a really thick krausen, I skim it to top crop the yeast to repitch

but when the time comes it cold crashes right out

all the best with you brewing

S_M

unionrdr said:

That's normal. The lower the temp (within ideal range),the slower & cleaner the ferment. Patience grasshopper...

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Very cool... Im pretty patient, but at the same point I just kicked my first batch in the kegerator...Looks like I need a bigger (or another) ferm chamber.

I also started this batch for the first 4 days at 64*. I did that with my last batch and it was super clean. I just bumped it up to 66* and in a week or so go up to 70 ish to finish and clean up. Then dry hop for a week and cold crash before kegging...

So, when your beers look like this, does the krausen ever completely fall, or are you racking from under the foamy layer? If it is still kind of thick when it comes time to dry hop, should I poke a hold in it to drop the pellets in, or just dump them in on top of it?

Thanks

I don't think I've ever had a krausen not fall eventually. By the time inital fermentation is done,it usually starts falling. If it doesn't,i'd just dry hop anyway. That usually gets some off-gassing going. That might get it to fall.

Just dump the pellets in on top. I use 05 all the time and it should drop out on it's own after a couple weeks, if not just rack from underneath it, everything will settle eventually whether in the carboy or the keg.

I also started this batch for the first 4 days at 64*. I did that with my last batch and it was super clean. I just bumped it up to 66* and in a week or so go up to 70 ish to finish and clean up. Then dry hop for a week and cold crash before kegging..

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that about what I do, when you cold crash the krausen will drop

after four days I go to 68 to finish then cold crash at 33 degrees the then keg

if I am dry hopping an APA/IPA or whatever I do it in the keg

but in the end it is what works for you and gives you the beer you are looking for

I do mostly ales and have then in the keg in about 12 days

all the best

S_M

Use buckets and stop watching. One less thing to worry about. It'll be fine.

I use US-05 all the time, and it almost always falls out completely within about two weeks...and yeast really likes starsan! I have a punkin' ale fermenting right now that has about that same amount of krausen on it.

Thanks for all the replies. I wasn't really worried (as I stated in the original post) but just must wanted to make sure

you got a good thing going there.

Indyoshi said:

Safale US-05 yeast. This is my attempt at an IPA of my own recipe. It also had 8oz of flaked barley for head retention, so I think that might be why the bubbles are big and thick.

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I often have this happen with Safale 05. It will probably fall in a couple of weeks, but I've had it hang on longer and just racked from under it.