I am 18 hours into my first Russian Imperial Stout fermentation. It’s basically a modified Jamil recipe. 11 gallons in a 14.5 gal conical, with an SG 1.100, apr. 800 billion cells of very healthy 4 gen WLP001, (from local brew pub) 2 min of oxygen at .5 L per min. pitched at 60 f, currently at 61.
The krausen has already taken up all the head space and is just barely getting started! I am afraid to keep the temp this low early in the ferment for fear that the beer won’t fully attenuate later? I currently have a stopper with a 3/8 inch blow off tube attached, but even at a low temp I don’t think it will last long. I am picking up some 1 inch tube at lowe’s to take care of the blow off.
Has anyone else had this problem with the krausen bubbles not dissipating with this type of beer? Do you think I will have a problem with the beer not fully attenuating without warming it up to 65 or so?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Matt
I wouldn’t worry to much. If it stalls you can raise the temp later and even rouse the yeast if need be. sounds like you’ve got a good healthy fermentation going.
Yeah, don’t worry. Keep an eye on the thermometer, I don’t know how you’re keeping it cool but with a RIS and WLP001 I’d expect the temp to keep rising and hit 65F on its own.
It’s in a refrigerator with a thermowell. I will keep it cool until the krausen starts to drop.
Great thanks, I am just surprised at that much krausen at that temp. Just never seen that before!
Thanks again!
Matt
is this just an RIS thing or a temp thing? i have an amber ale that was pitched with some 1056 from a local brewery at about 62° and is currently fermenting at 66° and the krausen is a quite excessive. it’s a 5.25 gal batch in a 6.5 gal bucket fermenter. it is repitched from a previous batch.
does a lower fermentation temp lead to a higher krausen level?
I use cal ale in about 50 % of my beers and this the first time that I have seen this much krausen. The fermentation is not unusually active, it’s just the krausen does not break down. I have been brewing about 4 years / 50 batches I am sure someone with more experience - knowledge can answer your queston better than I can.
I ended up putting in a 1 in blow off tube on my fermenter and kept the temp at 62-63. It blew off over a cup of yeast into a jar of sanitizer. I just hit 50 % ADF and raised the temp to 65-66. The krausen is still nearly filling the head space. It will be worth it if it translates into great head in the finished beer. ;D
Matt