Question regarding various stages of fermentation...

[josh_rush]

I started my first brew (Northern Brewer American Wheat) last Monday, the 17th. Couldn't wait to start another one, so my wife I brewed a second (Northern Brewer Caribou Slobber) on Sunday (23rd). In seeing where the 2 brews are at in fermentation I have a couple questions - quasi-concerns...

1. American Wheat: The Wyeast (1010) smack pack didn't break, so I took advice I'd read on this forum and pitched the yeast as is. It took a few days to start showing signs of fermentation. It's now been 9 days and the krausen looks like this (see picture below). I'm waiting for the krausen to fall and I'm curious what that will look like? (That may be a ridiculous question).

2. Caribou Slobber: Came with Danstar Windsor yeast. The NB instructions said to just pitch the yeast pack dry, but I decided to follow Danstar's instructions on the package and rehydrate the yeast. Pitched the yeast around 8pm, by morning the airlock was bubbling like crazy. It's not even been 2 full days and the airlock has become silent. I popped the lid to check it out and there isn't any krausen visible (see picture below). Could the beer have completed fermentation that quickly? Would that be bad?

 

[progmac]

the bottom one is, if not completely done, nearly so. two days is fast but not unheard of depending on temperatures.

the true trop-cropping wheat yeasts will sometimes stay on top even after fermentation is complete. it is more of a floating yeast cake than a krausen at that point. check your gravity on the wheat but i'd guess that it is done, too, but wouldn't bottle without taking a couple gravity readings a couple of days apart.

 

[josh_rush]

the bottom one is almost certainly done. two days is fast but not unheard of depending on temperatures.

the true trop-cropping wheat yeasts will sometimes stay on top even after fermentation is complete. it is more of a floating yeast cake than a krausen at that point. check your gravity on the wheat but i'd guess that it is done, too, but wouldn't bottle without taking a couple gravity readings a couple of days apart.

Thanks, progmac.

I didn't get an initial gravity reading on the wheat (I hadn't bought a hydrometer yet), but I guess I could base it off of NB's prediction of final gravity).....

The Caribou Slobber instructions call for a secondary fermentation. If it looks done here (and the gravity is right), would I then move to the secondary?

 

[progmac]

Thanks, progmac.

I didn't get an initial gravity reading on the wheat (I hadn't bought a hydrometer yet), but I guess I could base it off of NB's prediction of final gravity).....

The Caribou Slobber instructions call for a secondary fermentation. If it looks done here (and the gravity is right), would I then move to the secondary?

you don't need to have the OG. you determine whether the beer is done

on the wheat, take a gravity reading today, and in two days. if the readings are the same, the beer is done and can be bottled. as you brew more and more, you'll get a feel for when things are done and will likely know when you can bottle or rack to secondary based on your experience. but for now, take two readings and compare to verify that fermentation is complete.

regarding the secondary on the caribou slobber, i'd recommend waiting another four or five days before racking. even though the beer is probably done, a lot of yeast are going to fall out of suspension between now and then and you'll end up with a cleaner finished product if you have a bit of patience.

 

[chickypad]

the true trop-cropping wheat yeasts will sometimes stay on top even after fermentation is complete. it is more of a floating yeast cake than a krausen at that point. check your gravity on the wheat but i'd guess that it is done, too, but wouldn't bottle without taking a couple gravity readings a couple of days apart.

I don't know, I use 1010 a lot and I'd say that wheat looks to be still actively fermenting to me. I'd personally let them both alone for about 2 wks from brew day, check to see if gravities are stable, then package. IMO there's no reason to secondary the caribou but you can read the debates on that and decide for yourself.