trub layer on top?

I just took the lid off my fermentor after two weeks and found a fairly thick layer of what I think is yeast and hop particle/trub on top. I was expecting a little on top but thought the majority would go to the bottom. It was probably a quarter inch thick over the whole top, looked green/brown, doesnt look like infection. I made an IPA from a kit (Whale Arrow IPA from Homebrew Emporium). Is this layer normal? I racked to bottling bucket and bottled anyhow

Clavechkin said:

I just took the lid off my fermentor after two weeks and found a fairly thick layer of what I think is yeast and hop particle/trub on top. I was expecting a little on top but thought the majority would go to the bottom. It was probably a quarter inch thick over the whole top, looked green/brown, doesnt look like infection. I made an IPA from a kit (Whale Arrow IPA from Homebrew Emporium). Is this layer normal? I racked to bottling bucket and bottled anyhow

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How long was it in primary? Did you take a hydrometer reading? Probably krausen which is natural by product of active fermentation. If so, you bottled too early.

Normally it should drop. Sometimes it stay up there. I've had some stay for close to 3 weeks, depending on the type of yeast I used.

Which is the next question.. What type of yeast did you use? Some are top cropping and will stay up for a while.

Did you check your gravity and confirm it was stable for a couple of days? If you didn't you will now run the risk of bottle bombs. I'd put your bottles in an inclosed area, such as a plastic tote, or in a bag in a box, incase they start to explode from being bottled too early.

Thanks for the responses. This is my first homebrew so did a bunch of things wrong, like not taking an original gravity reading. Final was 1.012. My airlock was no longer bubbling. Had 4 days of steady bubbling, then sporadic bubbling for a week, then nothing for 3 days. Recipe just said wait 2 weeks then bottle and wait two more, now after loving the process and reading a lot about it, I know its a way more involved. Beer was in the primary for 2 weeks, no secondary, then to bottling bucket today and bottled. Yeast was Nottingham dry yeast.

What was the expected FG of the recipe?

Extract batches, are usually really close, especially if you hit the volumes right. If you are close to what they expected in the recipe, then you might be okay this go around.

I wouldn't make a habit of it. Some day you'll run across a beer taking it's time and you'll have issues. Likewise, you will have some beers that speed along fine and you would have been able to drink them 2-3 weeks sooner!

Expected FG was 1.012 - 1.015. If I bottled before fermentation was complete but don't get bottle bombs, will I be able to tell?

Clavechkin said:

Expected FG was 1.012 - 1.015. If I bottled before fermentation was complete but don't get bottle bombs, will I be able to tell?

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If expected FG was 1.012 to 1.015 and your measured FG was 1.012 you've got nothing to worry about. Let it ride for three weeks at 70*f, then fridge a couple of bottles for a few days and enjoy.

OK thanks. If I bottled before fermentation was complete but don't get any bottle bombs (none yet), will I be able to taste that fermentation was not complete?

If you are at 1.012... fermentation was pretty much done by that point.

I'd say you got nothing to worry about.

Gary

If it was way off, they may be sweeter. Judging by your questions I will guess that you are not the most experienced homebrewer, so I will say that YOU will not be able to tell.

Also, your yeast will continue to eat sugar, so eventually they will get down to FG.

Not experienced at all, this was first ever. Thank YOU

Clavechkin said:

OK thanks. If I bottled before fermentation was complete but don't get any bottle bombs (none yet), will I be able to taste that fermentation was not complete?

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If you open and drink a bottle after only a week or two since bottling it'll probably taste a bit "green", underdeveloped, lacking in something or just a bit "off" somehow. Due to having racked into your bottling bucket at two weeks and since, as you said, there was still krausen on top, if it were my brew I'd probably aim for going a bit longer than three weeks of carb-ing/bottle conditioning before chilling for a few days to a week in the fridge and opening the first one. BUT, I don't think I could have managed such restraint on my first ever homebrew:fro:

Try one or two as you please but give the majority enough time to mature and you won't regret the slight sacrifice

That's what I'll do, thanks again