Visual fermentation cues

[Brewpup506]

So I still have a heavy froth on top of my beer (in primary) and not much trub. Is that an indication it needs more time before I rack or is the only true way to know by taking a gravity reading?

 

[parjay]

What kind of fermenter do you have? If you have a carboy, you can look from the side and see if it is still actively moving around.

 

[BigCrazyAl]

How long has it been fermenting? Assuming it's an ale, it needs a bare minimum of 2 weeks but I typically keep it 3 weeks. When I open it on bottling day, the top is 90% clear but there is yeast residue and hop debris floating around.

 

[TheHopfather]

Your heavy froth is called krausen. The only way to know for sure is to take multiple gravity readings over multiple days. Once the gravity is stable the beer is done fermenting. I've had batches where the krausen never fell, I've had batches were I barely had any krausen at all, gravity is the only sure way. I'm going to have to disagree with BigCrazyAl here and say that an ale does not need a bare minimum of 2 weeks in the fermentor. I've done plenty of batches that went shorter than that and they were great.

When you first start out you may find that more time in the fermentor will help clear up some off flavors. However as long as you are pitching the proper amount of healthy yeast you shouldn't have those off flavors in the first place. I do find that the beers final flavor is better with a couple of weeks in the keg or bottle, but that is different then time in primary.

 

[BigCrazyAl]

Your heavy froth is called krausen. The only way to know for sure is to take multiple gravity readings over multiple days. Once the gravity is stable the beer is done fermenting. I've had batches where the krausen never fell, I've had batches were I barely had any krausen at all, gravity is the only sure way. I'm going to have to disagree with BigCrazyAl here and say that an ale does not need a bare minimum of 2 weeks in the fermentor. I've done plenty of batches that went shorter than that and they were great.

When you first start out you may find that more time in the fermentor will help clear up some off flavors. However as long as you are pitching the proper amount of healthy yeast you shouldn't have those off flavors in the first place. I do find that the beers final flavor is better with a couple of weeks in the keg or bottle, but that is different then time in primary.

I don't disagree with you. I meant to say that it's my opinion that 2 weeks is a minimum, however I know there are plenty of people that monitor fermentation closely and have had success with less time.

 

[SEndorf]

As mentioned, the only "visible cue" is gravity readings, two days apart at the end of fermentation.
Like BigCrazy AL, two weeks gives plenty of time to drop out and clear/finish up.
Like TheHopfather, I've had beers finish in 6 days with krausen staying topside until cold crashing.
For new brewers, patience is the hardest. Even when you hit final gravity, give your beer some time prior to bottling and observe what's taking place in the fermenter. Don't rush it.

 

[Brewpup506]

Thanks for advice everyone. I’m going on week 2 was planning on racking my porter over vanilla in glass carboy for around 3 more weeks. Right now it’s in a bigmouth plastic carboy.

 

[Lefou]

What kind of fermenter do you have? If you have a carboy, you can look from the side and see if it is still actively moving around.

Glass carboys give great visual feedback.
At high krausen your yeast will be very active. The airlock will be tapping away, a nice yeast cap may be visible, and the wort will look like a swirling snow globe if a pen light is put to the side.
If you decant to a secondary try to make sure you leave a minimum of headspace in the container.

 

[El Nino]

Gravity readings are the only way to know for sure. If there is still krausen on top it's still at its most active fermentation stage. When it first drops, I hear that fermentation is about 70% completed. Usually this drop happens for me on day 4-5, with day 3 being the most intense. Anyway, even after the froth (krausen) is gone, it's still got a little bit more to go.

In my experience with US-05, fermentation is done by 10 days, though I usually end up racking at day 13-14 just to be on the safer side, though I probably could have done it on day 10. Better safe than sorry though especially since I bottle and don't want any explosions

 

[Brewpup506]

Gravity readings are the only way to know for sure. If there is still krausen on top it's still at its most active fermentation stage. When it first drops, I hear that fermentation is about 70% completed. Usually this drop happens for me on day 4-5, with day 3 being the most intense. Anyway, even after the froth (krausen) is gone, it's still got a little bit more to go.

In my experience with US-05, fermentation is done by 10 days, though I usually end up racking at day 13-14 just to be on the safer side, though I probably could have done it on day 10. Better safe than sorry though especially since I bottle and don't want any explosions

Good point I’m at day 14 right now. I’m gonna grav check it tomorrow and rack on vanilla extract. Thinking 3 weeks on that then bottle with a cup of boiled coffee added in.