Dense layer on top of beer

[Aracer]

My lager-type beer was fermenting for the last 3 weeks at a 13 C temperature (55,4 F) and it has a dense layer of something on top (looks like yeast, but I don’t know). Is this normal? What should I do? I did the gravity measure and got 1,0101 final and 1,050 original, which are good measurements.

Please I need your advice and knowledge.

Thank you,

View attachment 657499View attachment 657500

 

[Jag75]

I cant view your pics . What color is it ?
3 weeks the krausen should have dropped. Maybe someone else will be able to view your pics .

 

[Aracer]

I cant view your pics . What color is it ?
3 weeks the krausen should have dropped. Maybe someone else will be able to view your pics .

[/IMG]

 

[Rob2010SS]

My lager-type beer was fermenting for the last 3 weeks at a 13 C temperature (55,4 F) and it has a dense layer of something on top (looks like yeast, but I don’t know). Is this normal? What should I do? I did the gravity measure and got 1,0101 final and 1,050 original, which are good measurements.

Please I need your advice and knowledge.

Thank you,

View attachment 657499View attachment 657500

I can't see your pictures because I apparently don't have permission. However, what your describing sounds like krausen. Should look like a dense foam layer on top almost.

Here's a picture of krausen on one of my batches. Is this what you're describing?

 

[Rob2010SS]

View attachment 657501[/IMG]

Looks like yeast to me. That's not krausen, that's for sure. Looks like floating yeast. You'll sometimes see smaller chunks of yeast floating like this, referred to as yeast rafts. This looks like one giant yeast raft to me.

 

[Rob2010SS]

If/When you cold crash, it should drop out and fall to the bottom. Nothing to worry about I don't think.

 

[Jag75]

Whoa that's crazy looking ! I've never had yeast cake up top like that before .

 

[Aracer]

thanks. The next step is to lower the temperature to 32 degrees (could be 40?) or so for about 4 to 6 weeks. After this step, I put the priming sugar (5gr/lt) and bottling. At what temp and for how long should I keep the bottles?

 

[Jag75]

I've never bottled a Lager so really cant say. If I were to bottle a lager I would bottle right after I raised to 66 f for 3 day diacetyl rest then using the priming calculator add the given amount of priming sugar at that temp for 3 weeks then lager

 

[bracconiere]

View attachment 657501[/IMG]

my god you're going to drink that! ewww, lol (looks like a yeast infection to me )

edit: whatever you do, don't add it to wheat flour knead and let sit for an hour, then bake....

 

[WeHeavy]

Not an expert, but I had one very similar to that and it turned out to be infected. Mine was a lager also ,and it smelled bad.

How's it smell and taste?

 

[Aracer]

I've never bottled a Lager so really cant say. If I were to bottle a lager I would bottle right after I raised to 66 f for 3 day diacetyl rest then using the priming calculator add the given amount of priming sugar at that temp for 3 weeks then lager

Would the yeast process the priming sugar at 40 degrees?

 

[Aracer]

Not an expert, but I had one very similar to that and it turned out to be infected. Mine was a lager also ,and it smelled bad.

How's it smell and taste?

It doesn't smell bad and the beer taste bitter...

 

[Aracer]

Not an expert, but I had one very similar to that and it turned out to be infected. Mine was a lager also ,and it smelled bad.

How's it smell and taste?

What do you mean by infected?

 

[Jag75]

Would the yeast process the priming sugar at 40 degrees?

I would go off of 66f after diacetyl rest . So I'd keep em 66-70 for 3 weeks . Then lager temps for however long you want .

 

[balrog]

You need to raise the temp from 55 for diacetyl rest. Couple days at 65 as @Jag75 says.
THen bottle with sugar and keep the bottle at 65-70F for 15-20 days to let the yeast process the priming sugar and create the carbonation.

Then, and only then, do you put bottles in cold storage to lager at 30F for 6 months or whatever. You have to carbonate at warmer temps than lagering. You won't carbonate (very well, very quickly, if even at all) at lagering 30F temps.

 

[WeHeavy]

What do you mean by infected?

Besides the yeast, something other was growing in it.

 

[dwhite60]

Looks like yeast and coagulated protein from the hot/cold break. Probably fine.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[seatazzz]

I've had a couple of beers do that. A good cold crash dropped it right out, beer was fine. Sometimes yeast just want to float.

 

[Bilsch]

Yep here too, sometimes the yeast want to raft up on the kreusen.

 

[Positronic_Matrix]

You could always rack it into another fermenter before lagering if it disturbs you. I’m a big fan of clean beer and will switch fermenters in a moment if I feel I don’t want it touching something. A few years back I had a wicked pellicle on my beer and although the beer was fine (as everyone said it would be), its presence still detracted from the enjoyment of the beer later.