Krausen Time

[JCD127]

Hello all. Im on my first brew and was wondering how long it takes the krausen layer to drop. Its been in fermentation pretty good for 10 days now with steady bubbling. The recipe kit said 14-17 days but, I added more honey for a higher ABV. Also, is cold crashing recommend once I reach my desired ABV.

 

[stieg000]

Sometimes the krausen will stay floating until disturbed. I usually punch it down, give it a slight stir as not to introduce much o2, and leave it for another day or two. It will settle out. Cold crashing it will help more yeast in solution settle out also.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Krausen drop time varies from recipe to recipe. For the most part, krausen will stay even past the point of fermentation being done, until it is swirled or it just drops on its own. I wouldn't worry too much about it dropping. When you cold crash or go to bottle it should drop

 

[JCD127]

Does anyone ha e experience using gelatin for clarity. The guy at my local homebrew store said to add it ten minutes before flameout. I did as he recommended but, since this is my first brew, have no idea on expected results or if I shouldn’t have used it that way. Im kegging btw.

 

[Mothman]

Gelatin goes in at the end of fermentation, a day or two before packaging, not in the boil.

Was your homebrew guy talking about Whirlfloc maybe? That goes in near the end of the boil and is a clarifying agent.

 

[Rob2010SS]

As mothman said, gelatin goes at the end of fermentation and is used in conjunction with cold crashing to pull out haze. Sounds like your guy was talking about Irish moss or whirlfloc

 

[jalc6927]

I usually let set in primary three weeks giving it ample time to settle

 

[brewbama]

How to clear your beer with gelatin: http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/06/how-to-clear-your-beer-with-gelatin.html

 

[JCD127]

He definitely specified gelatin so, I guess I put it in too early. Im brewing a honey wheat which is gonna be cloudy anyway so, I guess we’ll see next brew. Currently Im finishing up fermentation in my catalyst fermenter. I have a blow-off tube going to a jar with sanitizer. My chamber is a freezer with an Inkbird temp controller. Can I cold crash right in the primary? Do I need to remove the blowoff tube?

 

[kh54s10]

With the Catalyst you can dump the trub, then cold crash and dump the rest. That is the main advantage of the system, you don't do a secondary. You don't even have to transfer to a bottling bucket to bottle the beer.

I would change out the blow off tube for an S style airlock. If you leave the blow off tube on make sure there is not much sanitizer in the catch vessel. It will try to suck the liquid back into the fermenter.

 

[JCD127]

Cool, thanks. I think I will hold off on cold crashing until another time. I don’t have the s style locks and this beer is supposed to be cloudy anyway.