Yeast A Little Weird Looking

[Logman]

I don't have an inside pic although I'll get one in a few days when the top comes off.

Since doing my first few DSGA's the US-05 looks a little weird in the fermenter (to me). It's forming a thick 'spongy' looking layer on top that stays there. On the very top when I opened the fermenter was a thin 'semi dry' layer with an inch of the spongy stuff underneath. My hydrometer is busted but I'm pretty sure it's fermenting out fine, plenty of bubbling etc and left it in there for 8 or 9 days. If I had to guess I'd say it's slightly under done but tastes and smells fine.

There is two batches in there that both started yesterday around midday, set the Fridgemate to 18 and they are both off and bubbling, but they look to be showing this same characteristic again.

I'm thinking this might be an ultra standard all grain noob problem but I'd rather know what's going on - why is the yeast not falling to the bottom like my FWK's? Is it coming from an error in my brewing?

 

[Ross]

It's all good RELAX :beer:

 

[Logman]

Thanks Ross, good to know. I lost two FWK's to an infection so when I saw this after completely scrubbing and sterilizing everything I feared the worst. Heartbreaking stuff tipping a full fermenter down the drain...twice. When I saw this a panic set in, the keezer supply is dangerously low, took the walk of shame to Dan Murphy's .

 

[stux]

How much whirlfloc did you use?

 

[Logman]

I used Koppafloch and went by the directions on the CB website -

Add half a teaspoon (1.5 to 2gm) for a 23L batch, directly to the kettle 10 minutes before end of boil.

 

[Logman]

Here's a pic after emptying it out - is that OK to use again? About half of the top surface has a 1cm thick layer of it on top in clumps at the end of fermenting. The fermenter is heaps cleaner than any other brew I've done, hosing it nearly cleans it completely. Beer smells and tastes great. If it is OK, what makes yeast do this, just interested I guess - it's really soft, kind of looks like a chunder (minus the carrots and tomato skins).