How long for krausen to fall?

[psujeeperman02]

I've got an IPA in primary. Today it's been two weeks since being in the fermenter. I pulled the lid off today to dryhop and the krausen is still sitting on top of the beer. Shouldn't that fall once the beer is finished fermenting?
London Ale lll sitting at 68*F
I didn't take a reading yet, but ive never seen the krausen last this long on an IPA.

 

[Kerrbrewer]

Normally I would say it should have fallen by now, BUT, I have an APA I pitched on July 5th that is still chugging and has krausen. US 05 65° first 4 days, 68° since. Go figure! Guess this is one of those every beer is different and does its own thing moments. The only thing out of the ordinary for this brew is I have a lot more trub than usual. I used my new spike kettle and a whole hop clogged the pick up tube. Had to remove it. Lots of trub.

 

[tomwhit19]

also wondering same question as op, been 8 days in primary, airlock has stopped and krausen is still about 1-1/2" thick on top of beer, this is longest and thickest krausen has been around for

 

[bigdawg86]

You sure it's not just hop crud? That stuff floats for a while and may not drop fully until cold crashed... if you're not sure where the beer is at, take a gravity reading.

 

[tomwhit19]

You sure it's not just hop crud? That stuff floats for a while and may not drop fully until cold crashed... if you're not sure where the beer is at, take a gravity reading.

thats what im looking to do but theres so much krausen im a littlr skeptical about trying to take a reading right now

 

[kh54s10]

I rarely pay any attention to the krausen until at least day 14. Some are perfectly clear of krausen, some still have some spots and rarely it is still covered. Each yeast is a little different. Recipe ingredients can also make a difference. I have read where some have had krausen that never dropped, they racked out from under it.

 

[balrog]

What @kh54s10 says. Esp English ales do this to me. Also some German ale yeasts. Ok, there's sometimes no rhyme or reason -- it's a living thing for heaven's sake. It'll do what it does when it does it. I have racked from beneath brains-looking-1" krausen, but into a keg so if it wasn't done it didn't bother me with bottle questions. Generally though, when it drops, when it clears, then you know, that you have beer. I made that up. Just now. Stick around, it gets worse.

 

[brew_darrymore]

This is typical for WY1318. Krausen sticks forever. I usually swirl the fermentor a bit before dry hopping to make a hole, otherwise the hops would just sit on top of the krausen.

 

[TurnipGreen]

I’ve had that weird brown pillowy hop-crud-Krausen-crud stick around for weeks on end. If you cans cold crash it it will drop right out. Or just be patient. It will fall on its own.

 

[SEndorf]

It's all about the gravity. Take some readings to determine if it's finished, and don't worry about the hozenshmutz on top. When your FG stabilizes, cold crash it and the hozenshmutz clears.