Normal Fermentation?

I brewed my first beer, an amber ale, 10 days ago, and went to check on the fermentation today. The recipe calls for 10 day s of fermentation. I open my bucket up, and I see what is in the picture. I thought that the kraeusen was supposed to fall back into the beer eventually. Should I wait a few more days for it to fall, or should I take a gravity reading today and tomorrow to see if it's ready to bottle? Also, it looks pretty funky. Is something looking like this in the normal range of fermentation?

Looks pretty normal. Take a gravity reading if you'd like; you're probably pretty close to final gravity. It shouldn't hurt to let it go another week or two to let the yeasties clean up, though.

Looks like beautiful high krausen to me, I'd let it go another couple of weeks.

oh noooo! two more weeks! this waiting is driving me nuts!

Are you sure that isn't a chocolate milkshake? It looks delicious, and completely normal fermentation

Thanks for the info. I'm glad it's looking alright so far.

Alright, it's now been 30 days since brew day, and I've still got kraeusen sitting on the top of my beer. The FG readings are where they should be for several days in a row, but the kraeusen hasn't fallen yet. Is it still ok to bottle?

Yes. Some yeasts don't like to let the foam fall completely, and sometimes a strain which normally collapses the krauesen back into the beer won't, due to the composition of the grist.

Just rack as normal, disturbing the krauesen as little as possible.

Cheers,

Bob

Awesome, thanks. Just bottled yesterday.