Yeasty Goodness!

So made my second batch last sunday. I made a yeast starter and the wort started fermenting within 24 hours. Everything is peachy. I have been checking it periodically all week and checked it on this past sunday it was still bubbling away (7 days) every 20 seconds or so. I checked it today to take a hydrometer reading and there was still a bubble every two minutes or so! It is now the 9th day of fermentation. I thought by now it would not be bubbling. I opened it up to take a hydrometer reading anyway... there were HUGE islands of yeast floating at the top of the fermenter! Is this normal? - to have huge continents of yeast floating around 9 days in? I guess I am just gonna wait and see if it all sinks down eventually...

 

are you talking about your krausen?

what kind of beer is it? hefeweizen's and belgians will often hold a krausen for a long time.

strong beers will take longer to ferment, as well. there's also a million other variables...temperature, amount of yeast pitched, aeration, etc.

 

I, usually, wait until activity in the airlock has subsided before taking a hydro reading.

 

I don't really know what Kräusen is, i'm still a n00b.

Could you please explain?

Its an BB kit; american microbrew PA with white labs california ale yeast

As far as temp is concerned, it became hotter than when we pitched it because the heat turned on and the fermenter is in the basement with all the machinery. When I looked today it was about 74-75d F.

I debated taking the hydro or not, i hope opening it won't affect the beer too much. My reasoning was that it was the ninth day.

 

the krausen is the big "head" on the beer when it's fermenting.

you can let it sit for weeks, it'll be fine. sitting will only make it better. if it's bubbling, that means you have fermentation and from then on you just wait until you're comfortable taking a reading. are you planning on using a secondary? if not, i'd wait at least two weeks before doing anything.

i'd try to get the temp down during your fermentation, tho. <70 is usually ideal, and try to not let it get higher than 75F...adds off flavours.

 

Don't worry, Relax. Wait for it to stop bubbling, then take a reading, and taste the sample, after taking the reading. Do NOT add the sample back to the beer. If the reading and tasting are good, it's time to bottle.

 

I don't have a secondary... yet. I think I need one sometime soon for my next brews. From looking around this forum it seems that not many people DONT have a secondary

 

You'll find that the more experience brewers decide if one is needed or not.

Most brewers finding their feet use one.

Then you get total noobs who follow instructions and bottle after 1 week in the fermenter because the instructions say so.

I do on some and don't on others.

 

orfy's right. not every beer 'needs' a secondary. some shouldn't have one, just a longer primary.

but its still a good idea to have a 5gallon carboy for secondary for the brews that need it.

 

If you’re not going to secondary, I’d let that beer sit for a minimum of three weeks before bottling.

Stubborn krausen is not unusual. Sometimes the krausen will carry enough yeast with it that your fermentation will slow down. I sometimes have to bive my primary a pretty good swirl to knock that krause (and yeast) back down into the solution.

If you are so inclined…you may consider the idea of using a hydrometer to take a gravity reading. That will take a lot of second guessing out of the equation.

 

What beers need a secondary and which ones don't? What styles?

 

That's a very subjective question. If you mean to stick to widely accepted style guidelines, you will want to use a secondary for most beers that are meant to be clear. Some beer styles are traditionally cloudier, and traditionalists prefer that no secondary is used.

Using a secondary increases the chance of contaminating or oxidizing your beer, but it also gives your beer a chance to age without picking up flavors of dying yeast and aging hops. If you allow the krausen and other dissolved solids to fall to the bottom of the primary (putting it in a refrigerator to about 40 degrees F for a few days before racking helps) then the beer will have less particulate matter in the secondary. This will help clear up its appearance and, some believe, taste. Be aware that you may need to re-pitch new yeast before bottling if you leave a beer in secondary for too long, as the original yeast may become dormant or precipitate out of the beer.

 

Would you ever need to re-pitch after being in a primary too long? (when without a secondary and planning to go straight to bottles)

 

Nope. Even beer that apperas to be crystal clear will have residual yeast suspended. Beer that is coming out of the primary or secondary certainly have enough yeast to do the job.