West Yorkshire... long fermentation

Just checking to see if others have had a similar experience with this yeast…

I’m using WY1469 West Yorkshire yeast in a 1.050 OG English Brown Ale recipe (based on Southern English Brown, but slightly higher in gravity than if it were to style). I started fermenting at 68F for 4 days, then 70F for 2 days. There is still a nice layer of kreusen on top of the fermentation in the carboy. I have not taken a gravity, because there is still kreusen and I’m assuming the beer is still actively fermenting.

any thoughts? is this just a long fermentation? typical of this yeast? I would expect a longer fermentation from a barleywine or IPA, but not with a beer with a gravity like this… I guess it will be finished when it’s finished, but I’m still curious. This is my first time using this yeast, and I have very limited experience with English yeasts in general.

THANKS

Have you considered giving it a swirl? This may cause the kreusen to break up and settle out.

I have a batch using that yeast fermenting right now, but it is in a bucket. I did open after a week and after apparent fermentation had stopped, so I swirled after I put the top back on but have not checked it since.

I started a batch with West Yorkshire about two weeks ago and the krausen died down completely a day or two ago. Even with swirling to break up the top gunk, the CO2 kept pushing it back up to the top. As fermentation dies down, so will the krausen. The beer has yet to clear up though.

I really like 1469 and have used it on quite a few beers and in my experience the krausen falls a bit slower than other types of yeast but every beer I’ve used it with as been done fermenting by 2 weeks despite the krausen falling a bit later than other yeast varieties (eg - 1056). It doesn’t clear as quickly as 1968 but when I cold crash and give a couple weeks of conditioning time I usually have pretty clear beer, particularly if I cold condition for a few weeks.

Thanks… this info is very helpful. I did check the gravity today… a little lower than expected, but still tastes fine! I’ll just wait for everything to clear out

THANKS

God I hate British yeasts.