Foam on top of the beer

[Stunna980]

I think its called krousen or something like that. I was talking with a guy that said you usually want to rack to secondary before that stuff comes down. I thought you want that to all settle down and settle out right. He was saying it could give your beer some off flavors, not sure if I agree with that. Just wanted to see what you guys thought.

 

[TommyBoy]

Krausen.

I usually use a conical and pull out settlement off the bottom therefore not needing a secondary but when I do have to use a carboy I let it settle and then rack to secondary.

 

[Yooper]

I think its called krousen or something like that. I was talking with a guy that said you usually want to rack to secondary before that stuff comes down. I thought you want that to all settle down and settle out right. He was saying it could give your beer some off flavors, not sure if I agree with that. Just wanted to see what you guys thought.

He's wrong. You want to wait until the krausen falls before racking. It can be bitter, that's why you leave the gunky "ring" around the outside and the remaining trub on the bottom and rack off of it.

I know that in Charlie Papazian's first edition of TJOHB, he talks about how important it is to skim off the krausen, or have it blow off because of these bitter compounds, but the thinking has changed.

The thing to ask him is- if you rack before the krausen falls, fermentation is still happening. That means you'll get a new krausen in the secondary. What do you do then with THAT krausen? Rack again before it falls? At some point, the krausen will stop forming and fall back down. Just something to think about.

 

[Stunna980]

He's wrong. You want to wait until the krausen falls before racking. It can be bitter, that's why you leave the gunky "ring" around the outside and the remaining trub on the bottom and rack off of it.

I know that in Charlie Papazian's first edition of TJOHB, he talks about how important it is to skim off the krausen, or have it blow off because of these bitter compounds, but the thinking has changed.

The thing to ask him is- if you rack before the krausen falls, fermentation is still happening. That means you'll get a new krausen in the secondary. What do you do then with THAT krausen? Rack again before it falls? At some point, the krausen will stop forming and fall back down. Just something to think about.

Thanx man thats exactly what I thought, just wanted to throw a post out. New to the site.

 

[danielinva]

Your beer will probably benefit more from staying in the primary for another week or so than it would from being separated from the krausen. Yes, that stuff can cause some off flavors if it gets into your beer, but it will tend to stick to the side of the bucket/carboy on the way back down. Just be careful when moving your primary prior to racking and you will be able to rack the beer out from under the krausen ring.

 

[Yooper]

Thanx man thats exactly what I thought, just wanted to throw a post out. New to the site.

You're welcome.

Did you just call me a "man"? LOL!

I'm kidding you! I know it's hard to tell who's who on internet forums.

Welcome to the site, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

[babalu87]

He's wrong. You want to wait until the krausen falls before racking.

He's wrong to a point.

Germans are pretty adament about not allowing krausen to fall and or encouraging blow-off especially with Pilsners and the like.