Active ferment, little to no krausen

[BackAlley]

Brewed Jamils Chocolate Hazelnut porter on Saturday. Used 8oz of cocoa at flame out. I used Hershey's dark as it had the least fat of any brand i looked at.

Pitched 1.25l starter of active 002 at 63F. Ferment activity is the same as I usually get, peak of activity around 36 hours bubbling like crazy. But. Very little krausen like maybe 1/2" which has since dissipated to none.

I'm assuming the cocoa is what is killing the krausen. My real concern is will this also kill head retention? Or when I cold crash prior to bottling will the fats congeal?

Thanks.


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[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Yeah, it's the chocolate. Even Hershey's dark is not 100% cacao. It still has oils that will suppress krausen (and, later, beer head). It's usually better to use cacao beans or powdered cacao. It will still probably taste fine. It just might not have much head.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

P.S. Not sure about congealing the fat with a cold crash. Never had occasion to try that.

 

[BackAlley]

Yeah, it's the chocolate. Even Hershey's dark is not 100% cacao.

The package says 100% cacao right on the front.


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[BackAlley]

Yeah, it's the chocolate. Even Hershey's dark is not 100% cacao./QUOTE]

The package says 100% cacao right on the front.


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