Disappearing Krausen!

This could arise from one problem but more than likely no problem at all. I am guessing you are using a glass carboy. Now we have to look at your cleaning, did you use a dishsoap that contains ionized tenside, and did not properly rinse the fermenter out.

If that is the case your krausen slipped off the side and your final beer MAY have an unstable head and not foam as much in the glass. The taste will not be affected, only the appearance.

Second reason is the nature of the wort. You are brewing a high gravity beer that has more than normal unfermentables and long sugar chains. This happened with my beer a few times as well. The chains of sugars blew up like little balloons and created the frothy goodness that you witnessed. As such, when the fermentation slowed, instead of the krausen and all the foam staying on the sides, they deflated and went back into itself. This also happens if you filtered your wort before going in the fermenter. One of the reasons the krausen sticks to the sides are because of the proteins in the wort. When there are very little proteins the krausen will be cleaner when it goes back down.

If you are still worried, take a gravity reading and see if it has dropped, if so, then no worries. I personally would be worried if there was no bubbles in addition to the problem.

Hope this helps.

Fermentation started well on the Friday (temp around 18oc) This morning at around seven (UK time) all was well with a good krausen formed over the wort. However a couple of hours later the Krausen had completely disappeared. The fermentation was still occurring as bubbles were still rising to the surface. The temp was about the same, so no wild fluctuation there. I have just transferred wort into another sanitized fermenter, with the gravity reading at

1020, hoping that all is well. I am Just wondering what might have happened as I have not experienced the krausen disappearing so rapidly before.

It just looks to me that the fermentation just finished quickly. With that big of a gravity drop, you've got over 7% abv. I can't imagine the yeast being vigorously active with that much alc. I wouldn't be worried, myself.

BTW, being an AG brew guy myself, would you mind sharing the recipe? I'm also curious what yeast you used, and how large a starter, if any. Also what form of aeration did you give it? And what was the pitching/fermenting temp?

John S.

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Hi Drinkpup I think (relieved) there is no problem, fermentation continues, down to 1010 now. Beer tastes normal or well as it should at this stage. Your second reason makes sense, its just I fairly regularly brew high gravity beers and to have the krausen there thick and frothy, then within two hours later completely disappearing was a new one on me.

Thanks very much for your reply Greg

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Hi Drinkpup I think (relieved) there is no problem, fermentation continues, down to

1010 now. Beer tastes normal or well as it should at this stage. Your second reason makes sense, its just I fairly regularly brew high gravity beers and to have the krausen there thick and frothy, then within two hours later completely disappearing was a new one on me.

Thanks very much for your reply Greg

Hi John Thanks for your reply All is well with the brew. The gravity was down to 1010 a day or two after and there is still fermentation activity. I have racked the beer off to cask now for long term maturation and there was nothing wrong with the taste of the beer at that stage.

The grain bill for a 15 litre batch was

4000 grms of Maris Otter pale malt 300 grms of Amber malt 200 grms of crystal malt 200 grms of Carafra No.1 150 grms of flaked barley

Goldings and fuggles used both as bittering and aroma hops Yeast was gervain English ale yeast I used a fair amount of yeast (enough for 25 litres) in a 400 ml starter using corn sugar/water OG was 1076 Wort was aerated by vigorous pouring, Pitching temp around 25 c, with the average fermentation temp around 18 c

Greg