Fermenting A Kolsch

[1974Alby]

Hi,

trying my hand at a Kolsch for the first time...pitched a 1L starter of Wyeast 2565 last Sunday and it took off within 6 hours...got a massive foaming Krausen puching up under the glad wrap. Checked it yesterday and it hasnt settled down at all...thick creamy gooey krausen still about 2-3 inches thick and clinging to the underside of the glad wrap.

I was going to replace the gladwrap so that I could see through it, but after peeling it back a little and seeing the dense thick gunk still filling the fermentor headspace I chickened out and closed it up again quickly.

Is this standard for this yeast?... I reckon its awesome!!!!

 

[mje1980]

Sanitise a ladle ( ss preferably ) and a glass jar, and scoop some out into the jar. Top cropped kolsh yeast!. Don't worry, its just good healthy yeasties doin they thang!!

 

[Wolfy]

Does not sound unusual, you might find that the yeast takes a long time to settle, it might even still be floating on the top after your final gravity has been reached. It might even take extended cold-storage/lagering for all the yeast to drop out, but once it does it should be very bright and clear.

 

[Trippers]

Changing the glad wrap wont hurt mate! It wont have any affect on the final beer. Think of all those "open" fermentation vessels. Change it and enjoy watching the yeasties go crazy!

 

[MaestroMatt]

2565 is notorious for it's low flocculation.

I've had the same thing happen with my Kolsch's....nowadays, I know not to worry about it. That sticky krausen tends to linger for a long time. I have even had times when it has obviously finished fermenting and there is still a sticky layer of yeast on the surface.

Worry not, mein freund! Die Kolsch ist gut, ya!

 

[sponge]

Si.

 

[Rob S]

2565 is a beast sometimes. After you reach fv reduce the fermentation temp to 0*c for a week before bottling. Then after bottling and carbing store at 0*c for a month at least before drinking. It'll be worth the wait, it'll be so much nicer.

 

[Stormahead]

Agreed, I tried to knock one out in 3 weeks and it was a bit green.
The krausen does tend to stick; I've opened the ferm up after 2 weeks and thought ***** its not done yet when it fact it had

This yeast still ferments at 4 degrees, the yeast slurry is still showing activity.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

give it plenty of time to clear, add gelatin, filter, whatever you like - but make it clear. Yeasty kolsch tastes like vomit. and i dont mean its nasty, so I'm saying it tastes like spew.... i mean it has a smell and flavour reminiscent of vomit. Clear though.... wonderful and probably my favourite style.