Yeast Rockets/Comets/Missiles

[RandallFlag]

What are they? Is there a name for the little yeast bombs that take off from the trub and look like a comet with a tail?

My 1 Gal batches seem to be still after 2 weeks except for these missiles. Is this a sign of a still active fermentation?

I can't take a gravity reading since I don't have a refractometer and drawing a large enough sample to float a hydrometer would have a noticeable impact on yield....unless you fine folks know other tips/tricks.

Bombs away.

 

[watermelon83]

Cold break? A pic would help.

 

[tbred]

I do 1 gallon batches. Just sanitize the test tube and hydrometer. I use a turkey baster to collect the the sample, test, and then pour it back in the batch. 40 batches in and no issues yet.

 

[StarsanManiac]

What are they? Is there a name for the little yeast bombs that take off from the trub and look like a comet with a tail

I think it's still fermenting. I see this with WLP007, since it flocs so fast I can sell well into the carboy even while it's still fermenting. I'm sure this is active fermentation within the slurry. You get one of these "comets" when enough CO2 collects to form a bubble that floats to the top and brings some trub/slurry with it.

 

[barnaclebob]

i think what you are getting is an effect similar to dropping a raisin in soda and having it float up and down due to C02 attaching to it.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

It is a bubble of CO2 trapped inside a glob of yeast slurry. When it hits the surface and breaks the yeast rain back down. If they're still making enough CO2 to generate that large of bubbles you're still actively fermenting. Just sit back and enjoy the show if you want, but please, be polite, wait for the performance to end before clapping (and racking) ;-)

 

[m00ps]

haha, when I saw the title for the thread I knew exactly what he was referring too. A lot of mymore vigorous fermentations have little globs of yeast that suddenly decide they want to be on top and just launch off from the cake. Completely normal