Not sure about foam

[cwren79]

Hello all,

I’m brewing my second ever batch from a kit I bought with a wyeast. Which yeast I couldn’t tell you. The wort is a honey Amber ale from ReadyBrew by Paddock Wood brewing in Saskatoon. I smacked my pack but didn’t wait the obligatory 3 hours and pitched it right away, removing the inner plastic pouch beforehand of course. The first few days looked great and now it’s day 9 and there is still a thin layer of brownish foam on top. It’s sitting in the plastic primary, the lid is not a locking lid, but the last time that didn’t make a difference. I have lifted the lid a few times the last couple days to check the foam.
My question is, should I move it anyways, or wait until all the foam is gone?

 

[Jag75]

Hey cwren79 , welcome to the HBT and the hobby ! It may be that the Krausen hasnt fully dropped and you may have yeast rafts floating. I'm not sure when you can post pictures but it would be a big help . Look into pics here on infections , pellicle and krausen and try and see what you got .

 

[cwren79]

Thanks! I am pretty sure it’s just Krausen, I’ve attached a picture. Should I wait until it falls or transfer anyways?

 

[VikeMan]

Thanks! I am pretty sure it’s just Krausen, I’ve attached a picture. Should I wait until it falls or transfer anyways?

That's normal krausen. If attenuation is finished, and there are no off flavors, you don't have to wait for it to fall.

 

[Jag75]

Transfer to where ? You mean secondary or package it ?

 

[cwren79]

That's normal krausen. If attenuation is finished, and there are no off flavors, you don't have to wait for it to fall.

thanks!

 

[cwren79]

Transfer to where ? You mean secondary or package it ?

My secondary.

 

[Jag75]

My secondary.

Theres no need for secondary. Disregard that part in the instructions. Only utilize secondary for long term storage.

 

[cwren79]

Ok, good to know for future batches!
Btw, what is a better primary, carboy or plastic container? My plastic container currently is not lockable, but I’ve been thinking about getting a new one.

 

[Jag75]

Ok, good to know for future batches!
Btw, what is a better primary, carboy or plastic container? My plastic container currently is not lockable, but I’ve been thinking about getting a new one.

I personally would choose carboy over a bucket . You can see inside . Although I have a spike SS fermenter that I normally use but between those I go carboy. I've got a collection going on . 3 plastic carboys , 2 buckets , a Fastferment and a cf5 ......yeah I know , i have a brewing problem

 

[bracconiere]

@cwren79 , do you have a hydrometer? if so check the gravity......you could also give it a stir to get the yeast to drop to the bottom...but most people wouldn't because of o2.....

 

[bracconiere]

yeah I know , i have a brewing problem

LOL, mine's bigger then yours!!

 

[cwren79]

@cwren79 , do you have a hydrometer? if so check the gravity......you could also give it a stir to get the yeast to drop to the bottom...but most people wouldn't because of o2.....

Yep, gravity is 1.024, it started at 1.056.

 

[bracconiere]

Yep, gravity is 1.024, it started at 1.056.

seems high for after 9 days, was it all grain? what temp is it fermenting at?

 

[cwren79]

seems high for after 9 days, was it all grain? what temp is it fermenting at?

Room temperature-ish... I live in Edmonton, Alberta. It’s been cool outside, like 4C - 20C in last week or so. Our house was probably between 18C and 22C. I’ve transferred all but the trub to a carboy now, and put on the airlock. I’ve wrapped a towel around it to block the light... I think I read it was at approx 4% abv, if I read my hydrometer correctly... maybe I messed the beer up?

 

[Jag75]

Was there a predicted OG and FG with this kit?

 

[bracconiere]

maybe I messed the beer up?

if it was all grain and you mashed high, it would explain the high FG....4% ABV isn't bad...but a word of warning don't drink too much in one sitting, dextrins act like liquid fiber in the gut....lol, that's hoiw i discovered i needed to add gluco to my rice beer, after the amylase mash.....

 

[cwren79]

Was there a predicted OG and FG with this kit?

No...

 

[bracconiere]

Was there a predicted OG and FG with this kit?

you'd have to admit 1.024 seems high for just about any beer to finish at.....

 

[bracconiere]

to be clear we are talking hydrometer and not refractometrer right? lol

 

[cwren79]

if it was all grain and you mashed high, it would explain the high FG....4% ABV isn't bad...but a word of warning don't drink too much in one sitting, dextrins act like liquid fiber in the gut....lol, that's hoiw i discovered i needed to add gluco to my rice beer, after the amylase mash.....

I used a premade wort, and added a package wyeast.

 

[Jag75]

you'd have to admit 1.024 seems high for just about any beer to finish at.....

Yes sir , agree 100%
I think that's where my stouts finish

 

[cwren79]

to be clear we are talking hydrometer and not refractometrer right? lol

Yes, I’m very confident it’s a hydrometer. Maybe I’m not reading it right? It was close to the top of the hydrometer, near the 1.000.

 

[cwren79]

Yes sir , agree 100%
I think that's where my stouts finish

I’m only on day 9, I really don’t think it’s finished.

 

[Jag75]

Yes, I’m very confident it’s a hydrometer. Maybe I’m not reading it right? It was close to the top of the hydrometer, near the 1.000.

Then that's not 1.024 then . Maybe a pic of the hydrometer reading .

 

[doug293cz]

Room temperature-ish... I live in Edmonton, Alberta. It’s been cool outside, like 4C - 20C in last week or so. Our house was probably between 18C and 22C. I’ve transferred all but the trub to a carboy now, and put on the airlock. I’ve wrapped a towel around it to block the light... I think I read it was at approx 4% abv, if I read my hydrometer correctly... maybe I messed the beer up?Alcohol By Volume ABV Calculator - Brewer's Friend

Ignore the "ABV" scale on your hydrometer. You cannot directly measure ABV of beer with a hydrometer. You calculate ABV from the OG and FG readings. There are on-line calculators, or you can use this approximate formula:

ABV = 131.25 * (OG - FG)​

​

Brew on

 

[bracconiere]

I’m only on day 9, I really don’t think it’s finished.

actually most ale beers are done in 4-5 days.....


and as jag said, unless you're using a hydro deigned for car batteries....if it's close to 1.000 it's not 1.024....

 

[bracconiere]

damn just looked up the kit on google, $72 for a kit? but it says the honey amber is supposed to be dry....

from what i can find A delicious beer with a rich amber colour and smooth honey notes. The finish is dry and very easy to drink. OG: 40-45 IBU: 18

i'm not sure what a og of 40-45 actually means, but it sounds like you're reading your hydro wrong, if you say it was 1.056....

 

[cwren79]

I just looked it as well, I wanted make sure I know what that means. The Wort should have been around 1.050, a drop to 1.024 would be an increase in alcohol would it not?

 

[VikeMan]

I just looked it as well, I wanted make sure I know what that means. The Wort should have been around 1.050, a drop to 1.024 would be an increase in alcohol would it not?

That would be about 3.4% ABV.

 

[cwren79]

I remeasured with my hydrometer, I’m leaving it in there to keep an eye on it. I made sure to sanitize it first. It looks more like 22.... would that read as 1.022?

 

[Jag75]

Then that's not 1.024 then .

Maybe

damn just looked up the kit on google, $72 for a kit? but it says the honey amber is supposed to be dry....

from what i can find A delicious beer with a rich amber colour and smooth honey notes. The finish is dry and very easy to drink. OG: 40-45 IBU: 18

i'm not sure what a og of 40-45 actually means, but it sounds like you're reading your hydro wrong, if you say it was 1.056....

Holy smokes ! 72 bucks dang . I know how much brew you can squeeze out for that lol

 

[doug293cz]

I remeasured with my hydrometer, I’m leaving it in there to keep an eye on it. I made sure to sanitize it first. It looks more like 22.... would that read as 1.022?
View attachment 679891

I read this a 1.022.

Did you insure that the hydrometer is floating, and not bottomed out? Also, did you spin the hydrometer to knock off any CO2 bubbles that might be adhering to the hydro? Attached bubbles will cause the hydro to float higher.

Brew on

 

[cwren79]

Hmmm.... I did not... it definitely did not bottom out though.

 

[bracconiere]

what does it read in plain water? there's still the discrepancy between stated OG and your 1.056..


(it seems odd that 20 is further away then 10? maybe just an optical illusion.....))...

 

[Jag75]

 

[cwren79]

what does it read in plain water? there's still the discrepancy between stated OG and your 1.056..


(it seems odd that 20 is further away then 10? maybe just an optical illusion.....))...

Well, I’m not to proud to admit it’s possible I was wrong... in plain water it reads 1.000, so maybe I misread it the first time and it was more like 1.045??

 

[bracconiere]

Well, I’m not to proud to admit it’s possible I was wrong... in plain water it reads 1.000, so maybe I misread it the first time and it was more like 1.045??

is that a dig at me? lol...1.045 would be in line with the kit...but i don't get your statement.....

 

[cwren79]

is that a dig at me? lol...1.045 would be in line with the kit...but i don't get your statement.....

Oh! No no no, I was admitting I was wrong.

 

[bracconiere]

Oh! No no no, I was admitting I was wrong.

now i know it for sure, ....so it's perfectly calibrated, reads 1.000 in plain water, but you were wrong? and you showed a pic of it reading what, looked like as hydrometers do never face the camera, and 1.022? (sorry, i goof off a lot here)