It’s got a rice crispy cake on top!

[STP]

Hi all. Very first brew, I’m quite excited even though I think I’ve made a mess of this one. I don’t mind being at the bottom of a learning curve. Two weeks in the demijohn and there is still quite a mass on top of the wort. What’s my next move? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Cwrw666]

That looks like it might have finished fermenting but you've got great big clumps of yeast floating on the top. Is it all grain? If so I've had this happen when I've been a bit too liberal with protofloc during the boil. For 23L you need a quarter of a teaspoon of the powdered variety. Absolutely no more. If you use the tablet form it's half a tablet for that amount.

If it's stopped fermenting just bottle it, trying not to get the yeast lumps of course, but if you do they'll just settle out in the bottle.

 

[STP]

Hi Cwrw666, thanks. It is all grain. I bought a 5 litre stovetop kit that came with a whirlfloc tablet. Is that the same as protofloc? I used the whole tablet. I’ll bottle it up tomorrow. Thanks again.

 

[Cwrw666]

I've never used whirlfloc but I think it's the same stuff. If so it's a massive overdose in 5L. So basically it's coagulated the proteins in the beer as it should but now it's coagulating the yeast as well. I had it loads of times until I read about it on this forum. Now I measure it out more carefully. It was, however, just a bit of a pain rather than being a real problem.
If you're syphoning into your bottles it shouldn't be a problem until you get right down to the bottom of the DJ where clumps of yeast might block the syphon tube.

 

[STP]

Thanks for the advice. I’ll give it a go. I’m not expecting much from this first batch, so if I get a mouthful of something close to drinkable I’ll take it as a win!

 

[NormanHurst]

nIkn.. M, m. I.... A. S. I t . N

 

[STP]

nIkn.. M, m. I.... A. S. I t . N

I fully agree Norman

 

[NormanHurst]

I fully agree Norman

I have rarely been so eloquent