Krausen Not Dropping

[tricky_dicky]

Hi All

I started a Festival Pilgrims Hope Kit last Monday (10th September) - made up as per instuctions to 23l. OG of 1.043 fermeting around the 21-22 C mark

24 hours in and I had a nice krausen and all seemd well. The instructions say to dry hop the beer after 5 days, however the Krausen had not yet dropped, waited until day 6 and still had not dropped, I dry hopped anyway popping the pellets into a hop bag, and hanging it over the side of the FV - so the hops were submerged. I thought the act of dropping the bag into the krausen would potentially break it up and cause it to fall.

Day 8 today and the krausen still hasn't dropped, so I took a gravity reading and it has come down to approx 1.019 - somsomething is clearly happening - wasn't planning to consider bottling until 14 days anyway, but the Krausen is confusing me as I haven't had this happen before - anyone else come across this issue?

I assume if the FG has come down to 1.011 as per the instructions then I can go ahead and bottle regardless of the krausen still being there??

Any help / guidance appreciated

[seymour]

...Day 8 today and the krausen still hasn't dropped, so I took a gravity reading and it has come down to approx 1.019 - somsomething is clearly happening...

Persistent krausen and an unfinished gravity reading both prove active primary fermentation is still going on. The kit instructions regarding 5 days is just an arbitrary guess (and pretty optimistic, if you ask me.) The actual time will always vary because it depends on so many things: fermentables profile, wort pH and chemistry, yeast selection/health/cell-count, temperature, aeration, agitation, nutrient levels, batch size, geometry of fermentation vessel, etc. Just give it the time it needs, and all will be well. A nice slow fermentation like yours often tastes great.

...I assume if the FG has come down to 1.011 as per the instructions then I can go ahead and bottle regardless of the krausen still being there??..

Yes, though it's unlikely the krausen will still be there at final gravity. By nature, the krausen will begin falling as active fermentation trails off. Cells run out of easily-accessible fuel, the level of CO2 holding up the krausen declines, so gravity starts pulling the mass down. The two events go hand in hand, such that the krausen falling can be taken as proof your primary fermentation is completing (even without an official gravity reading.)

[adomant]

Interesting, I'm having the same issue doing a special bitter with a brew labs east midland slant, a yeast I haven't used before. The starter kicked off ok and krausen formed after a day and a half. A week later it is down to 1.028 from 1.045. I am perplexed as I thought it would be done by now, the sample I took smells great and still seems to be actively fermenting, the krausen is even more prominent.i have raised the temperature from 20 to 22 to see if that can see it off. I am reluctant to interfere any more than that

[seymour]

...I am reluctant to interfere any more than that...

Good call. The yeast knows what to do, we just have to wait patiently until it's done.
As homebrewers, we get impatient, but at least we don't have the whole "time is money" pressure to rapidly move multiple batches through the shared equipment like commercial breweries. We get to let things ferment, clear, and carbonate more naturally, typically with tastier results.

[lee1]

just brewed a pilgrims hope had a not so vigorouse fermentation but got my 1011 gravity after 8 days its been in the keg a week and wow wow wow the bitternes the aroma what a beer already its on my hitlist again

[tricky_dicky]

Krausen has still not gone anywhere, however it's down to 1.011 tonight and I had a sneaky taste - Wow! By far and away the best kit I have brewed, loads of hoppy bitterness, tonnes of aroma, but a lovely well balanced finish. Will be bottling it on Sunday, can't wait til it's had a little time to improve in the bottle

[seymour]

Krausen has still not gone anywhere, however it's down to 1.011 tonight and I had a sneaky taste - Wow! By far and away the best kit I have brewed, loads of hoppy bitterness, tonnes of aroma, but a lovely well balanced finish. Will be bottling it on Sunday, can't wait til it's had a little time to improve in the bottle

Sounds tasty, well done!

[barney]

Leave the lid on the bucket and give the side a couple of bangs, like you are trying to fix the telly.

I have had the krausen drop in a couple of hours after that, the shock waves must break the surface tension or something.

[CestrIan]

Sanitise a big spoon and give the krausen a gentle stir. It will break up and drop to the bottom. I use US05 quite a lot and always chill it down to about 10C after a week when the fermentation is well finished, to drop the yeast out. I have left it for a week fermentation and a week chilled down to 10C in the past and the krausen just won't drop unless I give it a stir. It doesn't do any harm at all and similar to barney's technique it clears up after a few hours ready for bottling or kegging.