Thick, strong krausen

So i peeped into my minibrew 5 gal. on Sunday and the krausen was very dense and firm looking. So much so that I felt like I could pull it out whole. There are no off odors, white patches or other funky stuff. I just has a thick pizza dough look to it. The batch was a 7 day old all grain pale ale, this is the second such batch with this appearance that I can remember. Any thoughts?

Sounds like a nice healthy crop of a true top cropping yeast.

I've had it twice, both beers turned out fine. Very "doughy" is a good word for it.

Great. I'm excited then. Will this drop on it's own, or should I rack while it's up there. Please don't tell me to measure gravity, I'm a boil and dump kind of guy and have never measured gravity. I know, I need to start measuring, but it's just too much fun to get too technical.

Didn't drop quick enough for me, it may for you. I moved over to secondary while a good bit of it was still there. Didn't want to leave it on the trub more than a week.

On a side note: Measuring gravity technical? Naaaaaaah, you just read your little floaty thing! It's pretty cheap as far as beer equipment goes, like 20 bucks or something.

seefresh said:

On a side note: Measuring gravity technical? Naaaaaaah, you just read your little floaty thing! It's pretty cheap as far as beer equipment goes, like 20 bucks or something.

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To be honest, I have a brew telescope thingy for gravity, and intend to use it every time. I just get too excited, and go too fast. I always find it when I'm cleaning up.

giono2 said:

To be honest, I have a brew telescope thingy for gravity, and intend to use it every time. I just get too excited, and go too fast. I always find it when I'm cleaning up.

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Talking about a refractometer? They are good for the mash gravity readings, etc. but lack accuracy when the sample has been fermented.
Alcohol throws off the readings.

giono2 said:

Great. I'm excited then. Will this drop on it's own, or should I rack while it's up there. Please don't tell me to measure gravity,

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Some strains will just sit there indefinately, just rack from underneath it.

You really should start taking gravity readings, even if it is just thefinal one to confirm that fermentation is complete and it hasn't stuck.

There's been a recent case where someone had that situation and if it wasn't for the fact he had bottled in PET he could have had bottle bombs to contend with. As it was he only had to worry about a very carbonated, foamy beer.

You can also gently rock your carboy to get that floating stuff to settle. After it comes loose from the surface, just give it a day or so to settle well on the bottom before racking.


TL

Sometimes a krausen from certain yeast strains (lile Belgian Wit) can cake up on the sides of the fermenter so thick, that the yeast actually gets trapped up there and the fermentation comes to a stand still.

You'll never know this is the case if you don't take hydrometer readings.

True, making beer is a ton-o-fun. Making beer that didn't ferment and you didn't know it...ain't so much fun.