oguss0311
Well-Known Member
The last two batches that I made (an extract kit and a brn ale PM) have left me with these pieces of floating debris that never truly settle out of the beer to the bottom. The first time, I asked around here and it was suggested that with so much honey (it was a honey wheat) that perhaps it was wax, etc. or maybe since honey can take Soo long to finish fully fermenting out- that there was enough CO2 still being made to "Float" some of the sediment.
Except it happened this time too.
This time, I had a Really heavy flow of krausen out of the blow tube- but quite a lot of the crap was so thick and heavy, that it stuck to the top of the carboy and never left. I had to scrape the stuff loose with a sanitized spoon handle so that I could fit the auto-siphon in when I racked it today. That was easy enough- but I still had this floating debris that LOVES to get sucked into the secondary, and stay floating rather than fall to the bottom.
So today, I make a point of isolating a lot of this floating crud to examine it. It was soft, spongy and grayish. I squished it further- and low and behold- It looks Just like the thick krausen that never got pushed out of the airlock.
I now think that CO2 has created holes in this thick crud, and then the gas leaves the airlock, and I'm left with a dried out piece of krausen that's been "Molded" in a manner than makes it buoyant.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
Are there procedures that perhaps I'm not taking that will decrease the amount of this floating crud?
Am I way off- and its really something else?
Why is this happening Now, when the last 8 batches did not? It's not the same yeast, ingredients, etc. Even the temp is slightly different.
Anyone know of a good trick to avoid the stuff? I put a nylon steeping bag over the auto-siphon when racking to the secondary- and I started to get tiny air bubbles in the tubbing- (Perhaps the bag created enough activity to create bubbles?)- anyway- I cut that out real quick.
I drank my sample for the EG and it is I think my favorite brown ale to date- but this stuff is So un-cosmetic.....
I'd love to hear if this is do to the method of my brewing, or how I can better avoid these floating ugly f@*kers.
Thanks!
Except it happened this time too.
This time, I had a Really heavy flow of krausen out of the blow tube- but quite a lot of the crap was so thick and heavy, that it stuck to the top of the carboy and never left. I had to scrape the stuff loose with a sanitized spoon handle so that I could fit the auto-siphon in when I racked it today. That was easy enough- but I still had this floating debris that LOVES to get sucked into the secondary, and stay floating rather than fall to the bottom.
So today, I make a point of isolating a lot of this floating crud to examine it. It was soft, spongy and grayish. I squished it further- and low and behold- It looks Just like the thick krausen that never got pushed out of the airlock.
I now think that CO2 has created holes in this thick crud, and then the gas leaves the airlock, and I'm left with a dried out piece of krausen that's been "Molded" in a manner than makes it buoyant.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
Are there procedures that perhaps I'm not taking that will decrease the amount of this floating crud?
Am I way off- and its really something else?
Why is this happening Now, when the last 8 batches did not? It's not the same yeast, ingredients, etc. Even the temp is slightly different.
Anyone know of a good trick to avoid the stuff? I put a nylon steeping bag over the auto-siphon when racking to the secondary- and I started to get tiny air bubbles in the tubbing- (Perhaps the bag created enough activity to create bubbles?)- anyway- I cut that out real quick.
I drank my sample for the EG and it is I think my favorite brown ale to date- but this stuff is So un-cosmetic.....
I'd love to hear if this is do to the method of my brewing, or how I can better avoid these floating ugly f@*kers.
Thanks!