Sedementation & Separation

[Brewslikeaking]

Can someone explain what is going on in this carboy. Its an imperial stout. I left it ferment for about a week then i crashed it to below 40'F to separate the yeast. I expected a big yeast cake but what is the separation on the surface?

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[schematix]

subbed. never seen or heard anything like this before.

 

[d3track]

Did it look like that before you started racking? A week could be a bit quick to finish up fermentation - what was the OG and FG?

 

[schematix]

The bottom is obviously trub and it looks like you dumped the whole kettle into the carboy. The top 2 layers have me confused...

What was your recipe and basic process?

 

[Brewslikeaking]

Its a 3gallon carboy with an imperial stout at 11%. OG-1.135, FG-1.050 crashed it to below 40' after fermentation. Basic russian imperial stout recipe. Electric Brew in a bag with double mash. 2.5hr boil & a 2L yeast starter

 

[doug293cz]

That is really bizarre! Other than that, I got nothin.

Can you pull SG samples from the two top layers, and report back? Tasting notes on the separate layers would also be interesting.

Brew on

 

[GoeHaarden]

Although I don't think it would separate and not just mix evenly, but did you use a blowoff tube during cold crashing? Suck up a lot of star sanz or something?

 

[schematix]

what happens if you swirl it all up? does it seperate back out?

btw 1.050 is going to be undrinkable.

 

[doug293cz]

Although I don't think it would separate and not just mix evenly, but did you use a blowoff tube during cold crashing? Suck up a lot of star sanz or something?

Now that's a possibility. Especially with the large headspace involved.

Brew on

 

[Brewslikeaking]

Now that's a possibility. Especially with the large headspace involved.

Brew on

Yes. Left the blow off tube on. Just turned the temp control way down. I only siphoned out the black stuff so lets see.

 

[mxstar21]

Now that's a possibility. Especially with the large headspace involved.

Brew on

I bet that's what happened.

 

[beermanpete]

Black and San?