What the eff is this? Separating Wort

[MetallHed]

Came back, approximately ten hours after pitching, to see this in the carboy:

This was a partial mash/boil. I don't think I mixed it well enough, as it was my first five gallon batch in this carboy and the thing is heavy.

Can I still mix it up without fear of ruining the batch, or should I just let 'er fly?

 

[CDbrews]

let it fly feremntation will mix it all together

 

[MetallHed]

THAT


is exactly what I wanted to hear..

Thanks, CD!

 

[brodie113]

I wouldn't stir it but trying to get it more uniform would be good. Maybe try to swirl it up a few times a day until the fermentation action starts to mix it. In my batch that stratified, the fermentation took a lot longer to start than normal- turned out fine in the end but there was a delay.

 

[ILuvIPA]

Uh. . . you might want to get a blow-off tube on there asap and set the whole rig in a big tub. Otherwise you may come home to find the airlock sticking out of the ceiling.

As far as mixing, +1 CDbrews, just let it do it's thing.

 

[wyzazz]

Uh. . . you might want to get a blow-off tube on there asap and set the whole rig in a big tub. Otherwise you may come home to find the airlock sticking out of the ceiling.

As far as mixing, +1 CDbrews, just let it do it's thing.

What he said, and get some Fermcap STAT!

 

[bknifefight]

No offense but I am surprised someone with 644 posts on here has never seen this before.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

You were brewing a black and tan weren't you?

 

[kanzimonson]

I don't see any problem moving the carboy around to get it a little more mixed - I'm just wondering if the yeast have a problem with part of the wort being super-saturated with sugars. Some sorta stress thing?

 

[MetallHed]

I wouldn't stir it but trying to get it more uniform would be good. Maybe try to swirl it up a few times a day until the fermentation action starts to mix it. In my batch that stratified, the fermentation took a lot longer to start than normal- turned out fine in the end but there was a delay.

That's what I've been doin. Seems to be fermenting so it's probably fine.

Uh. . . you might want to get a blow-off tube on there asap and set the whole rig in a big tub. Otherwise you may come home to find the airlock sticking out of the ceiling.

As far as mixing, +1 CDbrews, just let it do it's thing.

I'm not too worried. It's a 1.044 brew; I'll keep an eye on it.

No offense but I am surprised someone with 644 posts on here has never seen this before.

None taken, but since when does post count equal solid knowledge and experience?

PS - You just added to your count with this post without offering any advice or suggestions....... see what I'm getting at? :cross:

You were brewing a black and tan weren't you?

You got me.. lol That's the first thing I thought of when I saw it though.

 

[bknifefight]

None taken, but since when does post count equal solid knowledge and experience?

PS - You just added to your count with this post without offering any advice or suggestions....... see what I'm getting at? :cross:

It doesn't necessarily equal experience, but it can be a good indicator. I'd assume someone with 5 posts has just started and someone with 500 probably has done more than a few batches. Anyways, all the advice you need in this has already been given: leave it be and the yeast will mix it up when they start fermenting.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

FWIW, I've never seen that either but I usually have my carboys wrapped/covered.

 

[smizak]

Most of that looks like the yeast beginning to rise toward the top to start the krausen. The yeast in suspension might exaggerate how "separated" the wort looks than it actually is. I've seen similar in some beers if I catch them right before they start off-gassing CO2.

 

[Bobby_M]

No offense but I am surprised someone with 644 posts on here has never seen this before.

None taken here either but I have never seen a water/wort stratification in the carboy either. I could be that I brew all grain and only brewed 5 extract beers in my life.

 

[mvnegassi]

No offense but I am surprised someone with 644 posts on here has never seen this before.

None taken either, but how about this... I've been brewing since 1985 and have never seen this kind of separation. Plus I only have 10 posts and occasionally need questions answered that might seem elementary!

 

[MetallHed]

This was not my first PM, but the first time I've done a PM in a carboy (usually in buckets..easier to mix and aerate, IMO).

I didn't feel comfortable picking the carboy up and shaking it a whole heck of a lot, and when I took a hydro sample, it was about 1.02. I shook it the best I could but I believe this was from not mixing the wort and top-up water well enough.

This may happen quite a bit, from all of the "I have a low OG, help!" posts in the beginner's forum, it's just that not everyone actually "sees" what is really happening.

FWIW, I have kept an eye on it and there is now a thick layer of krausen, and the color has blended together and is uniform. :rockin:

And another side note: I did try to search for this before I posted, but I drew a blank on what to actually call it. I got one or two posts that sounded similar but ended up being towards the end of fermentation (falling yeast). This was noticable within ours of brewing, which lead me to believe it was the result of inadequate mixing of wort and top-up water (an extract and PM concern only).

 

[bknifefight]

Jesus Christ, you people are touchy.