Krausen question.

Is there a large variablility in Krausen coloring based on yeast strain or fermentables?

I think I underpitched a Graff and the Krausen that is forming is a thin (quarter inch) white foam with a 75% covering of brown spots (eight inch diameter) uniformly across the now (slowly) bubbling surface.

Nothing to do now but sit, wait and weekly check gravity, but for future reference I was curious about the general characteristics of Krausen.

The color, especially when splotchy like that, is often caused by various coagulated proteins and the like. The agitation of fermentation causes the protein to lump together, and then it gets pushed to the top and layers on the krausen.

So I went to take a picture of the krausen lastnight (by then near completely brown ontop) but my phone/camera was buggy. I fixed it but wasn't able to look at the Krausen again until just now and... no picture because it had already fallen. Is this normal for a krausen to be in place so shortly?

Krausen is a mysterious animal. It depends on lots of factors. Like a rainbow, krausen is best observed and enjoyed, but not questioned. The answers exist -- they just aren't that satisfying.

Tholan said:

So I went to take a picture of the krausen lastnight (by then near completely brown ontop) but my phone/camera was buggy. I fixed it but wasn't able to look at the Krausen again until just now and... no picture because it had already fallen. Is this normal for a krausen to be in place so shortly?

Click to expand...

Sometimes. Foam science (and, yes, there is such a thing) is mighty complicated. I've had krausens linger on for weeks after fermentation had finished, and I've had brews that never really developed more than a light froth. If there's an observable consequence on the final beer product, it's subtle/complex enough that I have never noticed it.