My Krausen is Trying to Kill Me

[cremmerson]

I laid down a brew on May 10 in the strong English Bitter style with 150g Choc malt and 300g Caraaroma. To beef up the yield I also added 1.7kg of light dried malt on top of the Coopers English Bitter kit.

I rehydrated my Safale US05 yeast, tossed it into the 23l at 18C with some Goldings tea bags (12g boiled for 20mins, 12g at flameout, cooled then thrown in).

Seven days later the krausen has calmed - but still looks thick and luscious, almost like plastic (you know those frozen moments, like the coke spilling out of the glass? Like that.)

I've never had a krausen last this long and fear it may never subside - or it will kill me. I presume lower temperatures (down to 16C) may be slowing the reaction, but I also fear the amount of malt may be the cause? Am I destined to leave this batch forever in my fermenter?

Insight appreciated. More so hope.

 

[bum]

Current SG might be helpful.

I don't see any HUGE reason to worry. 16C sees US05 act fairly slowly. I've never had krausen last quite that long with it but I try to keep it at 18C, generally. No reason to be concerned just yet unless your SG is over 1.015ish (maybe).

 

[Bribie G]

US-05 is surprising as it is very typical of UK ale yeasts that would rise to the top of the beer at the end of fermentation, and would be skimmed off for the next brew. That's why ale yeasts are usually referred to as "top fermenting".

Nowadays most but not all ale yeasts sink to the bottom of the fermenter and clear from the top because fermentation in most breweries is now in big conical cylindrical fermenters where it's beneficial for the yeast to sink for collection, and the yeasts have been bred over the decades so that they don't usually rise at the end.

It's the main reason I avoid US-05, its close cousin liquid yeast Wyeast 1056 doesn't seem to do it to the same extent and I prefer to use that for American styles such as American Wheat. I'm pretty sure your brew is done.

 

[cremmerson]

I used the same yeast (different packet) for a James Squire Golden Ale clone - slightly warmer conditions, liquid wheat extract - and the yeast sank to the bottom after five days. Good Krausen, but not as thick as this one, and certainly not as persistent.

I'll test SG tomorrow (aiming for 1011-1015) and come back. If it lets me.

Curiouser and curiouser.

 

[wbosher]

The first time I used 05 I had a similar experience (freaked me out a little TBH), it hung around for about two weeks I think. As bum said, as long as the FG is in the expected area it's not a big deal.

If the FG is where it needs to be, it ok to just take the beer from underneath and leave it be. Although some gentle tapping around the sides of the fermenter will help it drop it you really want it to.

 

[Bribie G]

The closely related Wyeast American Ale 2 does this sometimes as well. I've recently started a bottle of yeast cake I had in the fridge, poured into 2L container with wort and let it breed up. When it had gone through the wort after a couple of days there was a solid "cake" of yeast floating on top, so I just pitched that last night and it's well on the way this morning.

 

[cremmerson]

Good suggestion, Bribie. It's just sitting there, calling out for resurrection.

Gravity is 1015 (within final, leads to a 5.9 abv) so will test again tomorrow and the day after to see if it has settled. (It's delicious, so I'm willing to go out on a limb).

It will be my first attempt at resurrection and I'm thinking about taking the easy option - the same brew with a few tweaks (like getting my hops right). I know purists may frown upon it, but can I pour the wort on top and then roughly stir it through to oxygenate?

(Sorry, a noob question, but in the moment.)

 

[manticle]

05 does this all the time. Chill, fine, rack from under it or just don't worry. Waiting does no harm though.