Weird layer

[ike8228]

View attachment IMG_3418.jpg

So I noticed today that my American Pale Ale has a darker layer at the top. It is about 2-3 inches at the top of the carboy. I popped the plug to take a whiff but it didn’t smell bad, actually smelled good. This is a secondary rack. I have a second 5 gal carboy with the same exact thing, but I did not rack to secondary (experimenting 1st only vs secondary). The other unracked carboy does not look like this.

Should I be concerned about this? I would say I should stir it before bottling (planning on bottling this week), but I don’t want to stir up the muck. Maybe gentling? Should I not bottle that part of it (if it stays layered during bottling? I am assuming it may taste different than the what is under it.

Any thoughts? I’ve never seen this before.

 

[McKnuckle]

Looks like the beer is clearing, that’s all. Clearer on top, and still has suspended yeast below that, which is cloudy and hence lighter in color. Do NOT stir! But perhaps wait til the rest of it looks as clear as the top part before bottling.

 

[ike8228]

Looks like the beer is clearing, that’s all. Clearer on top, and still has suspended yeast below that, which is cloudy and hence lighter in color. Do NOT stir! But perhaps wait til the rest of it looks as clear as the top part before bottling.

Ok good that’s what I thought, just haven’t seen that drastic of a change in color before. Thanks.

 

[RM-MN]

Ok good that’s what I thought, just haven’t seen that drastic of a change in color before. Thanks.

If you sell your carboy and ferment in bucket instead that color difference will never bother you again because you will never see it. That's only one of a dozen reasons for using bucket fermenters.:rockin:

 

[myndflyte]

American Pale Ale

Isn't that like the opposite of pale ale? Anyway, as other said, it's just clearing. Don't stir it. Just let it do it's things and then bottle it.

 

[ike8228]

Isn't that like the opposite of pale ale? Anyway, as other said, it's just clearing. Don't stir it. Just let it do it's things and then bottle it.

You’d think huh. I used only light malt. No dark grains. The first time I did it it came out more like a light brown, but I used different hops this time.

 

[stodds]

It won't be that dark in the glass.

 

[bwible]

Right. It won’t be that dark in the glass. You’re looking through a much larger sample in the carboy.