Wyeast 1968 Refuses to Drop

[ChemE]

So I brewed an ESB nearly three weeks ago and mashed very high at 159F to try to create a thick mouthfeel and remarkable head retention. We'll see how that works out eventually...

I was expecting a terminal gravity of 1.016 but instead the beer has finished at 1.022. It is a little too sweet for the IBUs but no biggie. What is perplexing me is the yeast's refusal to drop. The beer itself is incredibly bright just as 1968 is supposed to be but big chunks of krausen/crap are stubbornly staying at the top. I'm not talking about one or two, 80% of the surface is occupied by these chunkies.

The gravity hasn't moved in a week during the last three readings, the beer is bright, and there is no diacetyl so there would appear to be zero benefit to fermenting longer. So the question (finally) is; do I let it go longer, cold crash it, or just rack from the middle? Anyone else had this happen with 1968 or any other yeast. Thanks in advance.

Overview of top surface of fermenting beer

Close up shot of the chunks-o-crap

 

[HotbreakHotel]

I'd chill it. I haven't used the yeast strain myself, but I think chilling would be your best bet to get it to drop.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Dude, looks exactly like my centennial blonde in primary right now. Used Wyeast #1099 (whitbread) which also is described as "highly flocculent" but still have a ton of floaties (into week three of primary now.)

In the past, yeast clumps were present all over the place even at week 4 in the primary. I threw it in the fridge for a week (I know I could have done less time, but I wanted to make sure it was a damn clear beer) and then racked off as normal to the bottling bucket. Give it a shot!

 

[ChemE]

Reno,

Did cold crashing get those big chunks of crap to flocculate then? I need to clear out the fermenter because I want to do a batch of centennial blonde as my lawnmower beer! I was going to pitch notty though.