I'm a novice brewer working on my 3rd batch, which is a Brown Ale, (Sam Calagiones reciepe for A to Z Brown Ale). Unfortunately, after the final sugar addition, (Maple syrup about 3-4 days into fermentation), I had to leave on a business trip and when I returned, 8 days after the final sugar addition, my fermenting wort did not have a yeasty fermenting head on it. It just looked flat. Is this brew still good to bottle, or did I just learn an important lesson in paying attention to your brew and should dump it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Need Help - Where's the fermentation Head?!?!
- Thread starter Cfred024
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
lowtones84
Well-Known Member
The foamy head is called krausen and it normally drops back into the beer after vigorous fermentation is done. Did you see any sign of it 3-4 days into fermentation when you put in the maple syrup? But as atom said, checking the gravity with a hydrometer is the only way to really be sure if fermentation has taken place. When you take the sample, might as well take a sip too unless it smells disgusting. If it's still sweet, it's like that fermentation isn't done.
Yeah it sounds like the Karusen just fell back in while you were away. One lesson you might have learned is that once it's in the fermentor there really isn't much that paying attention to it will do... other than make you worry about it.
william_shakes_beer
Well-Known Member
Is there a ring around the fermenter above the level of the beer? that's the "high water mark" that shows you where the Krausen was.
Thanks gents. Yes, I did see the krausen and it does have high water mark, so I assume that it just fell back into the beer while I was away. I'll be taking the gravity today. Thanks very much for the information!!
TopherM
Well-Known Member
In the future, there is RARELY a reason to dump a beer. The only real reason would be infections, and there are even some infections that can be remedied (camden tablets, cold crashing, etc.) or repurposed (sour beer/blend).
Next time you are thinking about dumping a batch, taste a small sample first. If it smells and tastes even somewhat like flat beer, there's nothing wrong with it. If it smells and tastes absolutely disgusting (remember, nothing particularyly harmful to humans can live/grow in beer!), then there is STILL a chance it can be saved, so then ask for some advise.
This batch is still good to go. Good luck!!
Next time you are thinking about dumping a batch, taste a small sample first. If it smells and tastes even somewhat like flat beer, there's nothing wrong with it. If it smells and tastes absolutely disgusting (remember, nothing particularyly harmful to humans can live/grow in beer!), then there is STILL a chance it can be saved, so then ask for some advise.
This batch is still good to go. Good luck!!
Similar threads
