Fermentation Interrogation

[dougriddle]

Hello friends. I currently have my 1st batch (a dunkelweiss essentially) in the carboy and fermenting (been in since Sunday night) and have a few questions. Right now all the yeast activity looks like the top of a root beer float: whiteish with some brown peak tops-normal I suppose? I also have, what appears to be a good inch or so of yeast sediment (?) at the bottom. In between the yeastyness I have a nice looking clear-brown liquid. Lots of little yeast fellas are making the journey to the bottom of the carboy. Should I rock this baby, carefully of course, to stir up some of this sediment every now and then? Or should I stick to a hands-off approach for the first week before I bother with any sort of gravity testings? Thanks!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

The yeast know what they are doing. Been doing it for a while now.

 

[danielinva]

Everything you described is perfectly normal. Doing anything besides leaving the beer alone would be unwise.

 

[dougriddle]

The yeast know what they are doing. Been doing it for a while now.

So hands off policy then?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

So hands off policy then?

Yup. the only time to worry is if you never see the foam. Even then, you still test it before you attempt to doctor it.

 

[dougriddle]

Thanks for the help!