US-05 Not Dropping

[Piperlester]

I've had a cream ale (wort kit) in primary for just over 2 weeks, fermentation kicked off right away, but the krausen is not fully dropping and looks like sludge. Should I leave it for another week and then bottle (assuming fg has been reached), or rack it off to secondary to chase up further?

Here's what it looks like.



Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[lablover]

I've had the same issue with S05. It seems to me like it used to flocculate a lot better. I've switched to other yeasts for that reason. I would give it another week or two and then bottle once it is clearer.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

That is odd. I use 05 all the time and its dropped by day 7 usually. Doesnt look like an infection but looks thicker than normal.

What temp did you ferment at?
What fermenter is that? looks different

 

[don_bran321]

I'd swirl it a little and cold crash. if it doesn't move just siphon around it. If you leave it sit too long yeast will leave off flavors

 

[Piperlester]

That is odd. I use 05 all the time and its dropped by day 7 usually. Doesnt look like an infection but looks thicker than normal.

What temp did you ferment at?
What fermenter is that? looks different

It's the plastic bucket my lhbs sold me when I started out.

Fermented at 19c for most of the 2 weeks (except when my heater relay died overnight).

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

What the gravity?
Its gotta be done but worth checking.

 

[flars]

A sludgy looking krausen can sometimes mean too much yeast was pitched for the volume of wort. There can be other reasons for the krausen dropping less rapidly than other times. Give it more time. Jiggle the bucket a couple times of day and it will drop when its ready. Plan for three to four weeks in the primary. Most likely won't take four weeks though. You won't need to worry about off flavors from the yeast for eight or ten weeks.

 

[Piperlester]

What the gravity?
Its gotta be done but worth checking.

Not sure on the gravity, haven't checked yet (typically I stay in primary until the krausen drops, the secondary for a couple weeks). Using that process, I only take 3 readings... Before primary, in secondary, and bottling day (providing the secondary reading was in the estimated FG range).

 

[Piperlester]

A sludgy looking krausen can sometimes mean too much yeast was pitched for the volume of wort. There can be other reasons for the krausen dropping less rapidly than other times. Give it more time. Jiggle the bucket a couple times of day and it will drop when its ready. Plan for three to four weeks in the primary. Most likely won't take four weeks though. You won't need to worry about off flavors from the yeast for eight or ten weeks.

I just jiggled it and holy moly, streamers of krausen. At this rate, a few more jiggles today and it'll be all dropped.

Thanks all - saving my bacon as always!