Fallen Krausen

[tek210]

First batch is proceeding, was created on Sunday and has been bubbling nicely, got home today and the krausen was basically gone. Just clumped to the sides now. Still bubbling, although not as vigorously as the last couple days.

Just checking to make sure that this is normal.

 

[Nurmey]

Normal. It's doing just what it's suppose to do. Leave it alone for another week or two and let the yeast finish cleaning up and you'll have lovely beer.

 

[david_42]

It is also normal for the krausen to not fall. Depends on the style.

 

[tek210]

It is also normal for the krausen to not fall. Depends on the style.

it is an Irish red and I just wanted to get a sense of progress I should see. Gonna be a long month.

Probably gonna go buy a second batch this weekend. What is a good spring beer out there? I did grain steeping multi hop adds on the first batch. As a reference. Is steeping the grains what makes it a partial mash?

Anyone from New England know what Blackstone valley has for kits right now?

 

[tek210]

Normal. It's doing just what it's suppose to do. Leave it alone for another week or two and let the yeast finish cleaning up and you'll have lovely beer.

I have 4 kegs coming in tomorrow. I know it is not needed, but right now I am going to secondary in a corny. I really want it to be clean.

For an Irish red I was thinking I would start checking the FG on Friday. Figuring to probably transfer this weekend. How long should figure in the secondary? How long in final keg?

 

[steelerguy]

The krausen will generally fall back in when your fermentation is slowing down and the yeast are not producing enough carbon dioxide to maintain it.

Steeping grains is mainly for color and some flavor, it is not really a partial mash. If you steeped in a small volume of water and let it sit around 150 for awhile then it becomes a partial mash.

You sound like you want to start rushing things, that is when you mess up. If you want to check gravity on Friday go for it, but I would not start checking every day. You could contaminate your beer and it will just get annoying to have to sanitize stuff all the time. I would just wait till Sunday to check and plan on transferring then.

I don't keg so it is usually another month, at the absolute earliest, before I start drinking the beer. This is after some time in the secondary in cooler than fermentation temps to get it to clear some, then bottle conditioning. Even then, I think it takes 4 or 5 weeks in the bottle to peak.

 

[tek210]

You sound like you want to start rushing things, that is when you mess up.

I really do not want to rush things, I just don't want to miss steps. I have read that you should check the FG and when your FG does not change for three days you are ready, checking one day may not give a true read of the FG. I really want this to take as long as it takes. This is why I am using a secondary to ensure the best result. Although I do know those last couple weeks of waiting will be BRUTAL.

 

[flyangler18]

Don't get the beer off the yeast too quickly, even if terminal gravity has been reached. I wouldn't even think about racking to the keg for another week or two.

 

[tek210]

Don't get the beer off the yeast too quickly, even if terminal gravity has been reached. I wouldn't even think about racking to the keg for another week or two.

I was planning on using one of my cornies as a secondary. SHould I still wait that long?

 

[flyangler18]

I was planning on using one of my cornies as a secondary. SHould I still wait that long?

My recommendation is minimum two weeks in primary, then rack to your serving keg.

 

[steelerguy]

I was planning on using one of my cornies as a secondary. SHould I still wait that long?

You can take it off the yeast cake once you hit terminal gravity. You can leave it there for a couple days if you want a diacetyl rest, but it is probably not needed.

Leaving the beer on a dormant yeast cake for a couple weeks probably won't hurt, but it isn't going to do anything for you either. I know a lot of people here swear it makes beer better, but I have not noticed it. So I asked the good people at Wyeast and some professional brewers and so far none have recommended long periods on the yeast. (Note: I am not saying you can't leave it on for a couple weeks after fermentation is done. I am simply saying it will not improve your beer and could hurt it.)

 

[tek210]

You can take it off the yeast cake once you hit terminal gravity. You can leave it there for a couple days if you want a diacetyl rest, but it is probably not needed.

Leaving the beer on a dormant yeast cake for a couple weeks probably won't hurt, but it isn't going to do anything for you either. I know a lot of people here swear it makes beer better, but I have not noticed it. So I asked the good people at Wyeast and some professional brewers and so far none have recommended long periods on the yeast. (Note: I am not saying you can't leave it on for a couple weeks after fermentation is done. I am simply saying it will not improve your beer and could hurt it.)

So would transferring to a secondary stage for a couple weeks followed by a few in the final keg be a good option? I really want good clarity.

 

[flyangler18]

So would transferring to a secondary stage for a couple weeks followed by a few in the final keg be a good option? I really want good clarity.

The best formula for good clarity is time + cold temperatures. Cold-crashing will encourage the yeast and other particulates to drop out of suspension. You'll find that the common trend currently is an extended primary (I typically leave all my beers on the cake for 30 days, though my mild is moved to packaging after 14 days without fail) and no use of a 'bright tank' (what a secondary really is).

I'll repeat: leave the beer in primary for two weeks minimum, then rack to packaging.