Caribou slobber- yeast not flocculating

Northern Brewer General
1

Hello. On my second batch. Caribou Slobber.
I was very careful on the brew. OG was 1.051 (which is on target). I pitched well below 70 degrees, and it’s been in the primary for 10 days now at 66-68 degrees.
Good airlock activity for a couple days and then nothing.
I’m pretty certain that it’s done fermenting. I checked gravity today and it’s at 1.012.

The problem is that the yeast is not flocculating. It’s sitting completely on top. The beer was also very cloudy, though it tasted ok.

Any ideas why the yeast hasn’t fallen and why the beer is extremely cloudy?
Just wondering if I should be concerned.

2

Some yeast just doesn’t floc that well. It will with time or if you can cold crash it’ll happen faster.

3

You can give the bucket/carboy a gentle swirl to break up the krausen cap. It’ll fall very quickly once you do.
Placing it in a cool area will help the suspended yeast to drop.

4

[quote=“enginir”]You can give the bucket/carboy a gentle swirl to break up the krausen cap. It’ll fall very quickly once you do.
Placing it in a cool area will help the suspended yeast to drop.[/quote]

This won’t oxidize it?

5

[quote=“Beerfan80”][quote=“enginir”]You can give the bucket/carboy a gentle swirl to break up the krausen cap. It’ll fall very quickly once you do.
Placing it in a cool area will help the suspended yeast to drop.[/quote]

This won’t oxidize it?[/quote]

I too had the same concern about the kreuzen not dropping when I brewed the Caribou Slobber. On day 13 the kreuzen was still on top so I posted and received the same advice. I gently rocked the carboy back and forth once or twice and the next day the kruezen had dropped. You don’t have to worry too much about oxidation because you only need a little agitation.

6

For future reference, would a yeast starter help this from happening?

7

[quote=“BarbarianBrewer”][quote=“Beerfan80”][quote=“enginir”]You can give the bucket/carboy a gentle swirl to break up the krausen cap. It’ll fall very quickly once you do.
Placing it in a cool area will help the suspended yeast to drop.[/quote]

This won’t oxidize it?[/quote]

I too had the same concern about the kreuzen not dropping when I brewed the Caribou Slobber. On day 13 the kreuzen was still on top so I posted and received the same advice. I gently rocked the carboy back and forth once or twice and the next day the kruezen had dropped. You don’t have to worry too much about oxidation because you only need a little agitation.[/quote]

Thanks. So rock the bucket, but don’t actually stir it up, correct?

How long after the kreuzen fell did you bottle? Did it turn out alright?

8

You are correct. Gently rock it and do NOT stir it. You just need enough agitation to break the surface tension. Oxidation is also not a concern because any disolved CO2 will come out of solution and off gas any oxygen.

Creating a starter will have no affect on this as a starter just grows yeast. Some yeast are just prone to having a thick krausen that tskes awhile to fall.

9

[quote=“Beerfan80”]
How long after the kreuzen fell did you bottle? Did it turn out alright?[/quote]

That was the first 5 gallon batch I had done so I stuck to the kit instructions as much as possible. So on day 14 (the day the kruezen fell) I racked to a secondary fermenter. Then bottled 2 weeks after that.
After 2 weeks in the bottle it tasted good. After 4 weeks it tasted great!

10

[quote=“BarbarianBrewer”][quote=“Beerfan80”]
How long after the kreuzen fell did you bottle? Did it turn out alright?[/quote]

That was the first 5 gallon batch I had done so I stuck to the kit instructions as much as possible. So on day 14 (the day the kruezen fell) I racked to a secondary fermenter. Then bottled 2 weeks after that.
After 2 weeks in the bottle it tasted good. After 4 weeks it tasted great![/quote]

Good to know! I think I’m going to skip the secondary. Hopefully the kruezen falls soon, and then I’ll let it sit and clean up for a few days before bottling. Glad yours turned out well!

11

Over 2 weeks and still no drop… Constant mid 60’s temp. And I’ve done some light rocking of the bucket. This is a stubborn yeast…

12

Almost 18 days and still no drop. I really didnt think i made any big mistakes in the brewing and pitchng process. Used a wyeast smackpack.
Is there a chance that the yeast may not fall at all? I don’t have a refrigerator that will allow me to cold crash this. Should I just let this ride another week?

13

Siphon below it and all will be ok.

14

Cool, thanks… Just wanted to make sure I could do this. I’ll give it until this weekend regardless.

15

I just got a new refrigerator… Which is great, because the old ones now in the basement. I can cold crash this now if it makes better sense to do so.

I can still just siphon under the yeast… But…
What is the minimum time I can cold crash? (1-2 days)
How long do I let it sit back in room temp before bottling?

Thanks!

16

The longer you cold crash it the more sediment will drop out producing a clearer beer. I always cold crash. Minimum time would be three days. For even clearer beer hit it with gelatin after a day and wait a couple days.

No need to bring it back to room temp to bottle. Transfer to your bottling bucket while preparing your priming sugar. Just store warm to get it to carbonate.

Best part of having an extra fridge is making it a fermentation chamber which will allow you to adjust ferm temps and then cold crash.

17

Thanks Loopie! As for the 3 day minimum… What if I just did 2 days? I need to bottle this weekend.

Also, is there any danger to taste/flavor by cooling, then back to room temp for bottling, and then cooling again for drinking?

18

2 days is better than none. No affect on the beer by allowing it to warm for carbonation then cooling to drink.

19

Thank you