Krausen hasn't fallen?

[wiescins]

My buddy and I have been brewing for close to a year, but quickly got hooked. We just brewed batches 10 & 11 last weekend (1/22), and the krausen hasn't fallen yet. Both are in 6.5gal glass carboys in the 2nd bathroom shower with a cold wet towel wrapped around them. Temp has been consistently about 60F (did same thing with last 2 batches, stouts). tonight will be 9 full days with high krausen. What could be happening?

Details of batches:

#1
6lbs 2-row, 2lbs crystal 20L, 0.5lb golden naked oats, 3lbs light DME, OG=1.071, lots of cascade hop pellets

#2
6lbs 2-row, 2lbs munich 10L, 0.5lb medium crystal, 0.5lb golden naked oats, 3lbs light DME, 2lbs honey, OG=1.081, lots of hop pellets

both used a 2L starter and White Labs California Ale yeast that was pitched @ ~24hrs and at high krausen. Within 12 hrs both batches were humming along, i expected to be able to get a theif in and check gravity this weekend, but didn't due to the 1.5" THICK krausen.

Thoughts?

 

[wiescins]

PS - Both were mashed @ 150F

 

[Morkin]

Sometimes they can take awhile to fall, although I've never had that problem with Neutral Ale yeast...

You probably won't hurt it by taking a reading through the krausen. My guess is that it hasn't fully fermented yet.

 

[flabyboy]

just leave them alone and take a reading in 3 weeks when its time to bottle

 

[509inc]

9 days of krausen does not sound like an issue to me. At 60F i would expect a slow and steady fermentation.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Personally, I don't care whether the krausen recedes or not... If it's still bubbling, we're in good shape. If it stops bubbling, it gets racked to the secondary.

M_C

 

[wiescins]

Thanks for the responses. I'll continue to be patient. I guess its not that uncommon for the krausen to last this long. If it doesnt fall by this weekend, i'll poke through and get a gravity reading. I would like to rack soon, so they can spend 2 weeks clarifing in the secondary (2nd week with dry hop) and be ready fairly soon. Planning on taking them to a party in March.

 

[BucksPA]

krausen doesnt always fall. ive had beer in primary for 4 weeks and it never fell. if hydrometer conistently shows a finished fermentation, your done.

 

[wiescins]

krausen doesnt always fall. ive had beer in primary for 4 weeks and it never fell. if hydrometer conistently shows a finished fermentation, your done.

Thanks! That's what I was hoping to hear. 1 batch us starting to drop, the higher gravity is going. Will probably wait until the krausen falls on lower gravity batch, then measure both.

 

[wiescins]

Thanks again. Both batches have dropped and gravities were 1.016 and 1.015 last night. Leaving them in the primary a couple more days to clean up assure terminal gravity is reached. I really need to learn to be more patient. I can't help but look at any carboy with beer every day.

 

[Scottatron]

Yeah just leave it until gravity is steady than rack if you feel like it.

 

[wiescins]

Just to update, racked both of these last Sunday (day 15 in primary), both were @ 1.015. Just waiting for a bottlling day to open up, then I will dry hop both 6/7 days prior. Gravity samples were tasty!