Will Someone Explain the Fermentation Cycle?

Will someone explain the fermentation cycle in detail for me?

I am curious how the process begins and ends, and the times typically involved.

For example, I brewed a Newcastle Clone Sunday, pitched the yeast about 7 PM and had a krausen head by 7 AM. The krausen was thick and pushing through the airlock. The krausen dropped the next day and the carboy went from an active gurgle and burp (1/second) to 5/second the second day, and 10/second the third day. The layer of white yeasty looking sediment is about 3/4 inch already. I am surprised at this depth already, only two days after pitching.

How long is the fermentation process from start to finish (in general)?

What causes the krausen to rise and drop to the bottom of the fermenter?

ultravista said:

Will someone explain the fermentation cycle in detail for me?

I am curious how the process begins and ends, and the times typically involved.

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This is covered in depth in the texts by Fix and Noonan, for example.

How long is the fermentation process from start to finish (in general)?

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Depends, assuming best practices with regard to pitching rate, wort oxygenation, and temperature, 3-5 days for ales.

What causes the krausen to rise and drop to the bottom of the fermenter?

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The propensity of a yeast to form krausen and also to sediment compactly is related to propensity to flocculate, or form clumps.

What makes the yeast rise and form krausen is CO2 evolution. What makes it drop is gravity.

+1 for Noonan. If you don't own New Brewing Lager Beer, you should.

In addition to the references to the texts, take a look at the Brew Science portion of this forum. I bet it is covered in there somewhere too.