7 Days and this is what my beer is looking like ?

A bit of background:
About a week ago I posted a thread after cutting a hole in my bucket for a air lock but a slight gap was left from a nick I had made. Here's the post for reference as it may pertain to my problem.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/cutting-hole-primary-fermentation-307086/

Problem:
I attached a picture so you can better get an idea. Basically it has been one week since I began fermentation on my first all grain batch. I have been peeking in the hole once a day to keep an eye on it but and it hasn't seemed to have been as active as the kits I have done before. Now it is just sitting flat. The room temperature and been sitting around 20 C or 68 F, but while no one is home I am sure the temperature drops down another degree or to.

Questions:
Is this how it is suppose to look, and should have it been more active?

The stuff that has built up around the edges, should that be scarped back into the beer because there may be some yeast that still have some work to do?

There seems to be some white specs but I think they are just bubbles, can anyone confirm from the picture? Am I able to scoop them out with a clean spoon to see?

Thanks again everyone! It is good to be able to get responses from people with experience!

looks fine. there is enough yeast in suspension to finish conditioning the beer. Don't scrap the krausen back into the beer. eventually, most of the yeast will flocculate out.

RDWHAHB

Looks good. What is it?

Looks like beer to me. I've had yeast barely krausen at all and show just about no airlock activity, yet ferment completely out. The only sure way you can tell if your yeast is working is hydrometer samples. If those taste fine, even better.

But I'd say from that krausen residual and all those yeast rafts, your beer fermented out just fine. Especially at 68*F.

Is this how it is suppose to look, and should have it been more active?
* Looks fine to me. Every fermentation is going to be a bit different. If you're really nervous about it you could take a gravity reading.

The stuff that has built up around the edges, should that be scarped back into the beer because there may be some yeast that still have some work to do?
* Nope. That's krausen. A lot of breweries actually separate that from the fermenting wort because it can increase bitterness and such. Not really a bit deal for homebrewers but there will be plenty of yeast in suspension in your beer.

There seems to be some white specs but I think they are just bubbles, can anyone confirm from the picture? Am I able to scoop them out with a clean spoon to see?
* Hard to tell, but it's probably fine. If you suspect infection you could sanitize a glass and your hand and take a little bit out to taste. But you of course risk introducing more infection. From the picture though it doesn't look particularly alarming.

Questions:
Is this how it is suppose to look, and should have it been more active?
*Yes - looks like fermentation has completed. No on the activity. Once fermentation is finished, there's not much going on that you can see with your eyes. It is very educational to ferment in a carboy so you can see each phase. Active fermentation is very interesting to watch. The wort looks alive with all of the swirling.

The stuff that has built up around the edges, should that be scarped back into the beer because there may be some yeast that still have some work to do?
*NO! That stuff can lead to some off-flavors. Leave it alone.

There seems to be some white specs but I think they are just bubbles, can anyone confirm from the picture? Am I able to scoop them out with a clean spoon to see?
*Don't bother. All looks good. Let it sit and condition.

+1 on the RDWHAHB. Enjoy the brew!

Chocolate Porter by chance?

Looks pretty solid!

It's a Chocolate Maple Porter!

And thanks all! I feel much better about it, I didn't want to touch it until I had found out more information on it, and what better way then to ask! Thanks again!

I am super stoked on getting it bottled and then just the wait for the first taste!

Along with the others, I agree it looks normal. I would be that you missed the high krausen overnight or while you were at work. The residual on the sides looks to be at least an inch or so high which is a good indicator...the bulk of the fermentation could have gone quick.

Thanks for the advice!

Also, what does RDWHAHB stand for?!

Relax Dont Worry Have A Homebrew comes froma brewing book by John Papazian that used 15 million times throughout the book.

John Palmer

Charlie Papazian

Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew! RDWHAHB

Looks good to me.

Just to confirm: do not scrape that krausen that is sticking to the sides back into the beer..it can cause off flavors.

Enjoy!

Did you use cocoa in the boil? If you did it makes for a weird ferment. It should be fine