Wyeast Kolsch 2565

I've had a Kolsch in primary for 2.5 weeks now. I checked the gravity and it is at 1.016...Down from 1.058...and a mere three clicks away from the "projected" final gravity. With almost every beer I have brewed in the past the krausen had long since fallen. This batch has a very thick yeasty/krausen layer all over the top. The high krausen has fallen as there is a line about 4 inches above where it is now.

The summary for this yeast calls is a "true top fermenting yeast." Am I seeing the remnants of the true top fermentation? Why would it differ from other ales which are also top fermenting? Has anyone exeperienced this before with this strain of yeast? I'm planning on leaving it another week or so to see if it finally falls the rest of the way, but appreciate any insight.

I have an issue with that occasionaly with other strains of yeast. It really is meaningless. If your FG is on target, rack it to your clarifier and go from there.

i think when they talk about kolsch yeast being 'true top fermenting', they are referring to that yeast's ability to result in a lager-like beer, as lager yeast is a bottom fermenter. of course it's different from other ale yeasts, as they all are somewhat different, but this yeast is known for staying in suspension for a long time, so it's not surprising that the krausen is sticking around near FG. this beer will benefit from another week or so on primary and then consider a cold crash or secondary period with gelatin perhaps if you want it clear. it's gonna be a great beer though, i love kolsch.

Thanks for the responses. I will let the beer go another week and consider a secondary (although I hardly ever do with beer).

I was n Cologne Germany a month ago and really loved all the kolsch. I'm hoping to create something that is pretty close to an authentic Kolsch (though it will never be). Has anyone tried the AHS Kolsch? Any tried and true authentic recipes?

All the Kölsch houses lager their beers after fermentation is complete. In the Kölsch beers I have brewed, I found the beer mellowed and brightened significantly with prolonged cold conditioning. With both the ones I did, I lagered at 40º for 4 weeks.

I've never lagered anything. Does bottling, carbing, and then storing them in the fridge for 4 weeks have the same effect?

I've got the same thing happening right now with the same strain of yeast. The Kolsch has been in the Primary for almost 2 weeks with little sign of the krausen subsiding. The airlock is moving every 15 seconds or so. I've been fermenting at about 56 degrees. I wanted to rack this weekend, but may wait and see what happens. I don't intend on lagering this beer. Never tried before. I worry the yeast will drop out too much and not provide enough healthy yeast to bottle condition.

just let it sit on that yeast cake for a while if you aren't planning to secondary... another week or two won't hurt it and will let some of the yeast begin to flocculate. i think if you prime/carb it and then let it sit in the fridge for a few weeks, you'll get a similar result to lagering. you could always lager and then add yeast when bottling, but i've had great success with kolsch with nothing more than a cold crash for a few days before kegging. and as always, the last pint is always the best/clearest.

I have a Kolsch and a Blonde I brewed with that yeast and they have both been in primary now for almost two weeks. Both are fermenting at 56F and they both have a very heavy krausen layer just as you are describing. I have the two setting side by side in glass carboys and the layers are identical.