Foaming head during fermentation

[TwistedGray]

I don't recall seeing this much foam in the past on previous fermentation; however, just thought I'd ask the brewer gods if there might be any cause for concern.

I'm referring to the right side batch which is a blonde ale. I'll have to dig through notes to figure out the yeast strain if that's of any impact, but didn't think it would be?

Pitched yeast earlier today (mixed with warm water just shy of 100 degrees, and it's actively gurgling away so I know the yeast is alive and well.

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[kh54s10]

That is a pretty full carboy and a pretty small krausen. Totally normal but you can usually expect even MORE foam. I suggest a blow off tube for the start of EVERY fermentation.

If the wort in the fermenter is at 100 degrees GET IT COOLED ASAP!!! You really want the wort temperatures of most ales in the mid sixties. 100 degrees will lead to a lot of off flavors.

 

[TwistedGray]

That is a pretty full carboy and a pretty small krausen. Totally normal but you can usually expect even MORE foam. I suggest a blow off tube for the start of EVERY fermentation.

If the wort in the fermenter is at 100 degrees GET IT COOLED ASAP!!! You really want the wort temperatures of most ales in the mid sixties. 100 degrees will lead to a lot of off flavors.

Pardon the confusion, what I meant was that I mixed the yeast in water first before putting it into the already well chilled wort.

Also, given the location of my fermenters the wort is typically a bit colder than normal thus all my brew takes a little longer to ferment.

Knock on wood, I haven't had the need for a blow off tube yet ... better to have it and not need it, yah yah yah I know

 

[kh54s10]

But still, that picture is not a very big krausen. Most of mine are at least that much, many are far deeper. Consider yourself lucky if you normally fill your carboy that full and have not had a really big blow off!

I would expect that if you continue to fill your carboy that full you will get about 75% of them blowing through the airlock or blow off tube.

 

[TwistedGray]

But still, that picture is not a very big krausen. Most of mine are at least that much, many are far deeper. Consider yourself lucky if you normally fill your carboy that full and have not had a really big blow off!

I would expect that if you continue to fill your carboy that full you will get about 75% of them blowing through the airlock or blow off tube.

By the way, now is a great time to tell me that you were right

Oddly enough, the left side is not having the same issue ... must be either the type of yeast used or that I premixed in warm water (the other one I just tossed as-is).

 

[Singletrack]

I would be worried about the fermenter on the left. There are big chunks of yellow infectious-looking debris floating in that one. I suggest bottling, say, 5 gal of that, and then sending it to me for confirmation. For you, no charge.

 

[SlitheryDee]

The foamy head is called a krausen, and it is generally expected in most every beer fermentation. Since I got a fermentation chamber I've noticed that temperature does have some effect on the formation of a krausen though. When fermenting at room temperature I would get much thicker krausens than I do in the chamber. Your ambient temps would have to be very cold to replicate that effect in the open air though.

Speaking of the brew on the left with the lemons in it; I do see a sign that there was a krausen that has already fallen back into the beer. That ring of gunk about halfway up the neck of the carboy probably marks the high krausen line. It might have just happened and then went away while you weren't looking. I never saw the krausen on my first beer fermented with Nottingham either, but I saw the high krausen line WAY up on the side of my bucket, which lets me know it must have been pretty impressive.

 

[stodds]

I never saw the krausen on my first beer fermented with Nottingham either, but I saw the high krausen line WAY up on the side of my bucket, which lets me know it must have been pretty impressive.

Notty? Holy cow yeah. I know that, before I got a ferm chamber, I used Notty because it didn't give me too much esters at my ambient 74*F like all other ale yeasts did. But, boy oh boy was it some violent stuff.

To OP: I agree with what most are saying here. That "foam" is a good thing. Desired, really. No krausen and you'd be on here asking what went wrong / why your fermentation is stuck.

 

[TwistedGray]

FWIW, it has settled down quite a bit since yesterday's mess, so I think I'm safe now