No Apparent Airlock Activity with Krausen Still on Surface

I have two 5½ gal batches of lager that air lock activity has ceased but there is still a ¼” krausen on the surface. It is on the surface (floating) and not under suspended under the surface. I am using S-23 and it is currently 54F. So: 1) do I wait for it to drop, 2) swirl it around & see if it becomes visually active, 3) rack to secondary? I’ve had one infected batch and am somewhat gun-shy to remove the top for a reading.

Both are in a 54F room, raised their own temp to 58F while active and have dropped back to 54F.


Batch #1 – was going to be a Kolsch but pitched S-23 due to temps. 10# Kolsch malt, 2½ oz German Spalt Select, one pack S-23 dry. It took 5 days to be visually active.

Batch #2: - Marzen, 2½ lbs Lt Munich, 2½ lb Vienna, ¾ oz Carafa II for color, 4½ lbs DME, 3 oz German Tettnanger, one pack S-23 reconstituted. Was very active with 15 hours.


Thanks in advance for advice!
Kenny O.

How long has it been since you pitched?

Batch #1 - two weeks today

Batch #2 - one week today

I've had this happen several times. In fact I have one at the moment with WLP023 that isn't bubbling, but still has krausen on the top. I've never worried about it, and the krausen has always dropped with 4 weeks (usually earlier).
However, it has only ever happened to me with ales. Lagers may be different.
Perhaps it has something to do with the yeast having the number 23 in the name.

-a.

Wait wait wait.

Nothing bad can come out of letting a beer sit awhile IMHO

Checked batch #1 today and the krausen had dropped. The gravity is 1.010 at 56F. Racked to secondary to allow clearing as it had lots of floaters. Plan to keg it next weekend and then check batch #2.

I let mine go to they drop clear, usually about 4-6 weeks. It's more like it takes me 4-6 weeks before I feel like moving it. Nothing like popping the lid and seeing straight to the bottom, the yeast resembling something you expect to see on the surface of the moon.