How is my krausen looking? Is this even classes as krausen?

[dogflap]

Hi all. This is my third brew. The first two I made had vigorous airlock activity after 12 hours, before eventually stopping after about 3 days. They each had a definite layer of krausen on the top.

My current brew had very slow activity but was reasonably constant for about 5 days. The airlock activity stopped today and so I opened it up and saw the attached image. It doesn't seem to have a thick layer of krausen on top like my previous brews did. It looks like it just has a few bubbly patches - is this classed as krausen? Is the ring round the outside krausen too? I'm wondering if it's ready to be bottled.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a gravity reading.

Thanks for your help!

 

[jekeane]

the top of the ring is how high your krausen was. So looks like you had at least an inch of krausen for a few days. Airlock activity isn't a judge of whats going on. especially if you are using a bucket where the lid may not seal well or if you have a large headspace which it looks like you did. Without a hydrometer I would wait at least 14 days before packaging

 

[AkTom]

/\ this. Looking good.

 

[dogflap]

Great news, thanks guys!

 

[davidabcd]

Hi all. This is my third brew. The first two I made had vigorous airlock activity after 12 hours, before eventually stopping after about 3 days. They each had a definite layer of krausen on the top.

The airlock activity stopped today and so I opened it up and saw the attached image. It doesn't seem to have a thick layer of krausen on top like my previous brews did. It looks like it just has a few bubbly patches - is this classed as krausen? Is the ring round the outside krausen too? I'm wondering if it's ready to be bottled.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a gravity reading.

Thanks for your help! View attachment 582911

First, l agree with the others. Looks good.
I'm understanding, from your post, that you opened the fermenter the first two times and caught your brew mid-krausen? The third time you saw it after it dropped.
Patience is needed once you seal that fermenter. Try to leave it closed until fermentation is complete and you're ready to take a FG reading or two. The fewer times you open it, the better.
As to how long fermentation lasts? There are many opinions on the subject but, two weeks, as mentioned above, is a good place to start. It could be less, could be more. I've hit my FG well within the week before (I was adding something to the beer so I had to open the fermenter). I don't know how many times this has happened because I don't open it until three weeks have passed
I do three weeks and then take a FG reading. I'm not saying this is THE method. I just like it because it's easy and effective and for the last 17 batches, I've reached my target FG.
If you want to see what's going on inside, you could use a bright flashlight flush against the lid without pressing.
Cheers!

 

[small_b_brewing]

I've had my first beer that didn't produce a pronounced krausen, but had a slight 'gunk' (krausen) ring anyways.
I agree with davidabcd- wait 3 weeks before bottling. Its what I did before I started measuring things

 

[hawkbox]

Late response but it looks fine. Just probably hammered out before you looked.