I'm not an old timer, but have brewed a few batches, maybe 6 AG. Recently brewed Mike McDoel's Janet's ale and used a double decoction. Pitched too cold, I was trying for a good cold break. Anyway, yeast from starter sat a good 24 hours with nothing, then a nice ferment began. i got a beautiful krausen after a couple more days, now its been almost 2 weeks, ferment is just about done and the krausen is sitting there as pretty as it first started. I am thinking I will rack off beer between krausen and trub to secondary. Almost like skimming. Is this typical or do I have one heck of a head retention to look forward to.
New One on Me
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you never mentioned what yeast you used. some yeast strains just form a thick krausen that never 'melts' back into the beer.
Wyeast 2565 Kolsch strain is one example.
As you suspected, just avoid racking the top to secondary, and avoid the trub like you normally would. Since the krausen residue wants to float on top its pretty easy to avoid.
Wyeast 2565 Kolsch strain is one example.
As you suspected, just avoid racking the top to secondary, and avoid the trub like you normally would. Since the krausen residue wants to float on top its pretty easy to avoid.
WLP400 and WLP029 never drop all the krausen, it's not a problem as long as the gravity is as expected. Other yeasts I haven't used are likely in the same boat. The hydrometer is boss, if I think a beer isn't done I'll swirl and wait a few days and then recheck the gravity to be sure it's really done.
EvilTOJ
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I swirl it as well when it looks close to done. If the fermentation isn't done yet, it'll be back. If it is, well, it settles out in the bottom.
