krausen dying down

[faxe]

Hi,

I brewed my beer on saturday the 24th, and the very next day noticed a fair amount of krausen. the air lock was going steady every 4 seconds for two days. However, today, the 27th, I have noticed that the krausen is dying down. the air lock is still going around every 4 or 5 seconds. Is this perfectly normal? I thought that the head would be larger and that it would stay longer. Is this not the case, or is something going wrong?

 

[bierhaus15]

Yep, it's perfectly normal to have the krausen drop after a few days of vigorous fermentation. Some yeasts make big heads that last forever, while others don't. Your beer should be fine... Now just make sure you leave the beer in the primary, on the yeast cake for a few weeks before you decide to bottle or transfer.

Cheers,

 

[faxe]

in other words, has fermentation stopped? the room I have it in isn't terribly warm, maybe 18 degrees?

 

[llazy_llama]

in other words, has fermentation stopped? the room I have it in isn't terribly warm, maybe 18 degrees?

Oh wow... read this and almost spit out my beer. 18 degrees celsius... okay, now I get it. That's about 64 degrees for us Americans.

 

[MilwaukeeBrewGuy]

Ihope that is not 18F. What are you brewing?

 

[bierhaus15]

No.... a drop in krausen is not any means to determine when the beer is done fermenting; the same is true for bubbles in your airlock. The only real way to determine when the beer is done is to take a few consecutive hydrometer reading (around 2 weeks after you first pitched the yeast) to ensure that there has not been a drop in gravity. Also, 18C is on the low side for most ales, so wrap a towel or blanket around your primary or move it somewhere a little warmer, say 20.

If you have not already done so, read this. Lots of good information.

Cheers,

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Contents

 

[faxe]

Okay, so I just took a temperature reading and it was around 62-64 degrees F. I wrapped a bunch of stuff around it. How long do you guys thin it will take for the temperature to rise again so that the yeast will kick back in?
Also, my hydrometer reading was the same as my original one, so its defintely not done!

 

[Yooper]

Okay, so I just took a temperature reading and it was around 62-64 degrees F. I wrapped a bunch of stuff around it. How long do you guys thin it will take for the temperature to rise again so that the yeast will kick back in?
Also, my hydrometer reading was the same as my original one, so its defintely not done!

You don't want the temperature to rise- that's a good temperature for ales. What is the hydrometer reading right now? If the krausen rose and fell, it won't be the same as the original. If it is, then one of them is wrong!

 

[faxe]

Originally it was 1.04 and now it is around the same. I suppose it is slightly less then the original, that's good right?
the krausen didnt completely rise and fall. It was about an inch think and now it is like 1/2 an inch thick. is it too late??!!

 

[faxe]

is it okay?!

 

[onejdn]

it's fine. the krausen dropping is not an indicator of whether or not the yeast has stopped. however, if it dropped rapidly AND your hydrometer readings haven't changed and it's only been a couple days since you brewed then your yeast has probably stopped. I just reread your first post and you mentioned that the airlock is still bubbling, your fine. When it stops bubbling, start taking your hydro readings to determine when fermentation has stopped.

 

[faxe]

if the yeast stops bubbling, and i get the temperature back up, will the yeast start again?

 

[Yooper]

Originally it was 1.04 and now it is around the same. I suppose it is slightly less then the original, that's good right?
the krausen didnt completely rise and fall. It was about an inch think and now it is like 1/2 an inch thick. is it too late??!!

It's at 1.040? Still? Check it again in two days and see if it's dropping any.

 

[BigNastyBrew]

Oh wow... read this and almost spit out my beer. 18 degrees celsius... okay, now I get it. That's about 64 degrees for us Americans.

LOL!!!! I almost spit out my beer after your response!