Two weeks and still a layer of yeast on top of beer!

[natelindner]

Hi all,

I'm doing a batch of American Amber Ale. When I brewed I noticed that the airlock produced no bubbles so after a few days I checked the beer to see a very nice yeast layer on top as well as a nice thick krausen ring, so I assumed there was a leak somewhere in my system. It's been a week and a half since then but there is still a very substantial yeast layer on top. It's gotten slightly smaller but just barely. What do I do? Is it normal for that to happen? I'm using Wyeast American Ale which is supposed to flocculate pretty well...

 

[s4l]

Pics? It sounds like yeast rafts. I had the same when I bottled my Irish Red after 2 weeks. Also, are you using a bucket for primary? If so, the lid isn't truly airtight and that's why you saw no bubbles. I had the same happen with mine, and it tastes just fine.

 

[DirtyOldDuck]

It happens. Don't worry. I've even had the krausen take more than three weeks. I would wait another week or so and see what happens. You can always rack your beer out from under it when it's time to bottle or keg.

 

[natelindner]

Here is a picture of my fermentor. As you can see I am using a bucket which is probably why I didn't see bubbling

 

[Hopper5000]

what kind of yeast did you use?

 

[GASoline71]

Perfectly normal...

Take an FG reading over 2 or 3 days... you'll be ready to keg or bottle if it's stable at FG.

Gary

 

[Brewing_Butterball]

Looks normal to me. My first batch ever I had a mixture of krausen and hops for like a week and a half, kinda scared me but its perfectly normal!


Cheers brotha

 

[TopherM]

Off gassing from CO2 in the solution pushes the yeast to the surface, where they cling together into colonies. Perfectly normal. Once the off-gassing is complete, they'll fall back down. If you don't want to wait that long, I find that giving the side of the bucket a good thump will usually start the sinking of the yeast rafts!

 

[HBC]

I just racked a beer like this last week. First time I had rafts. I felt it was probably fine due to several days of same FG. I keg'd immediately, carbonated, and drank this week. I will be honest--- it is VERY clear-- maybe the clearest I have had thus far.

I am not saying this to claim it will clarify beer, but rather say that I could not tell it harmed the finished product in any way.

 

[hochemicals]

Yes it is doing this to me as well. It doesn't usually work out like this if I pitch fresh commercial yeast, although when I recycle from the last keg it can happen. An infected wort will taste sour instead of alcoholic and will not ever truly turn transparent even if left for months.