Where's the foamy crap?

Hey dudes
I just brewed a mock-bock last week with German Ale yeast. During the peak of fermentation, I ALMOST switched to a blowoff tube because it was bubbling so much. I've never had a brew that active. So you must understand my dismay when I went to rack to secondary, popped the lid to my bucket, and found...no krausen. Like. None. A few floaters. Even the trub was loose and fluffy.

I decided to relax, not worry, have a homebrew or six. I'm still a little confused though. Is this something I should expect from Kolsch yeast? And before you ask, I broke my hydrometer 3 brews ago and haven't bothered to replace it yet. I can generally tell when it's ready to rack and I'm usually not concerned with how potent the product is, so long as it's beer.

Actually it is something you should expect from all yeast. Once fermentation slows to finish the krausen is supposed to drop and helps clear the beer. There are some occasions where the krausen is persistent but in most cases what you are seeing is completely normal.

Different yeast and different batches yeast will act differently. Here's another thread discussing just that. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/krausen-drop-41551/

+1 to what the other posters said. You should see a ring of crud around the top of the container, but other than that, the surface of the beer should just have a few CO2 bubbles and maybe some yeast rafts (looks like crinkled beige paint).

duboman said:

Actually it is something you should expect from all yeast. Once fermentation slows to finish the krausen is supposed to drop and helps clear the beer. There are some occasions where the krausen is persistent but in most cases what you are seeing is completely normal.

Click to expand...

Yep... If it was bubbling the way you say... It has already fallen back in...

DPB

Mind blown. So I've been racking too early all along? I thought the goal was to rack before it all dissolved again. That complete joy book talks about krausen imparting off flavors...

Also thanks! I'll check out that other thread when i get home

half_whit said:

Mind blown. So I've been racking too early all along? I thought the goal was to rack before it all dissolved again. That complete joy book talks about krausen imparting off flavors...

Click to expand...

You shouldn't be transferring the beer until it has reached final gravity

You have to measure sugar levels with a hydrometer or refractometer. Bubbles in the airlock cannot be used as the indicator at all, the beer can be fermenting with no bubbles. Also, don't rack to a secondary unless aging the beer more than 4 weeks.

half_whit said:

I broke my hydrometer 3 brews ago and haven't bothered to replace it yet. I can generally tell when it's ready to rack and I'm usually not concerned with how potent the product is, so long as it's beer.

Click to expand...

unless you are simply waiting a couple of weeks or more (not a bad thing) the hydrometer is the best way to determine if your beer is at final gravity.

half_whit said:

Mind blown. So I've been racking too early all along? I thought the goal was to rack before it all dissolved again. That complete joy book talks about krausen imparting off flavors...

Click to expand...

That's a very old book. A lot has been learned since then.