What's up with my Kolsch?

I brewed an AG Kolsch a couple weeks ago. The fermentation temp has been a bit high (ambient temperature around 67 F), but otherwise nothing atypical.

I'm fermenting with Wyeast 2656, which I understand is supposed to be finished in around 4-7 days. I checked on it after 4 days, and it had a thick pellicle at the time. Repeated checks revealed no visual change, even after 10 days. I was worried about infection but figured there was nothing I could do about it so I just let it do it's thing.

Today I finally took action. Another check revealed the pellicle is still there, although the bubbles have reduced in size a bit.



I took a gravity sample and it looks to be about 1.012, exactly what I was expecting.

It has a nice flavor, so I'm not suspecting infection (but haven't ruled it out).

So what's up with the pellicle? I've done about 8 AG batches and none of them have looked anything like this when the beer was done fermenting. Will the beer clear itself up if I give it time or is this more common than I think?

Any info or advice would be much appreciated.

It's just krausen, not a pellicle. Kolsch yeast takes forever to completely settle, if it ever does. Rack from underneath it if you're ready to transfer and lager.

looks just like a kolsch i have fermenting did a few days ago. doesn't look like a pellicle to me. looks more like sludge that hasn't settled yet. kolsch yeast needs to be cold-crashed to settle

internet connection causing multiple posts...

internet connection causing multiple posts...

Thanks for the assurances.

Excuse my krausen gaffe; I've been reading too many sour threads recently so I have pellicles on the brain

I used the same yeast for a kolsch that I just pulled the last pint of a few nights ago. It got better every day. I'm impatient as hell so unfortunately it hit it's prime just as it ran out. Give it a few weeks cold crash after kegging or bottling and you'll be happy you did. Good luck!

can you transfer to a glass carboy and chill it...toss some gelatin in...let it really settle for several days. Your temperature is in range. In the upper 70's Kolsch will get fruity and sometimes green apples. A little pear can come about from higher temps. It also depends on the malt you use. Global Malt I believe is the only one that makes a cologne malt.

The fermentation chamber is currently full (only room for 1 brew in there), but I'll chill it in a week or so. After that I'll transfer it to a keg and start conditioning.

Thanks again for the help. So much to learn and so little time!

My WLP kolsch yeast took its time. 3 weeks to a stable gravity, 3 more to clear up. 6 weeks total at 65 degrees. Going to bottle tonight at last!

BTW, I tapped this beer a couple weeks ago, and it's one of my best efforts to date. Thanks for the reassurances!

Congrats! It's a great style to brew. I wish more craft beer breweries would get behind a beer like this.

Looks fine.... I brewed one this year,,,, fermentation chamber and all.... came out great.... Used the Wyeast "Special" Kolsch that was out about that time...