Krausen gone after day 3

[Thurstday]

I just brewed my first batch of American Wheat beer 3 days ago and after the first 12 hours i had about an inch or so of krausen forming and a consistent burp. Tonight when I checked it i noticed the burping had slowed down and the krausen is as close to gone. I wasn't able to make a gravity test, but is this normal or is there something I need to look into? thanks guys.

 

[Rockn_M]

Sounds normal. If you have higher fermentation temperature the yeast will finish pretty quickly. If you can do a gravity test and another in about 3 days. If it's the same its done.

 

[Hoppity]

OG? Fermentation temp? Yeast? Starter? Could be normal. Take a gravity reading.

 

[Thurstday]

current temperature is 77°F / 25°C
current gravity is 1.0121

as for the yeast, I'm not sure. I used the yeast that came with the American Wheat recipe kit.

 

[grrickar]

I pitched yeast 'hot' before and the krausen was gone after 28 or so hours. It was an explosive fermentation, followed by nothing. I had some off flavors as a result, but it was a java/chocolate stout so some of that got covered up by the additions.

I'd take a reading, and try fermenting at lower temps next time - especially for a wheat beer. Depending on the yeast used, you could have a clove or a banana 'bomb' on your hands.

 

[Thurstday]

grrickar, does this mean my batch is possibly ruined, or what do the current readings of the batch mean at this point? Do I let it sit for another week or two before transfer to its second carboy and follow the recipe instructions, or what would you recommend? thanks!

 

[heckler73]

 

[grrickar]

Just be patient and rack it to secondary in a few days, and while you are at it take and drink a sample. The taste now is not necessarily what your end result will be, but I'd proceed as usual up until the bottling/kegging stage. If the taste is way off at that point, then you have to make the call is it worth it.

Nothing to lose at this point. It certainly doesn't mean it is ruined, so I say relax and give it some time.