My Beer Is Foaming During Fermentation?!

[HedgePig]

Hi,

First post, second brew.
I am giving the Wilkos Irish Stout a bash with a basic/rudimentary kit.

My first effort, the light lager was a phenomenal success and this is but my second fermentation. The lager went off very slowly as it was done in my kitchen and temperatures were certainly well below this guidelines. As a result, I purchased a small fish tank heater and preset/tested it at exactly 20 degrees as per manufacturers instructions on the stout tin.

It's been almost exactly 24 hours and the brew has gone mad!? It's foaming up like protein on a dirty beach! It's climbed up and hit the lid it's so foamy. It was a light fuzz on the surface first thing this morning, was a good sized bubble bath by tea and now it's mental.

Is this normal!? Do I just leave it to foam away? Do I scoop off the excess (with sterile equipment)?

I have attached a photo taken a moment ago. Any advice/help appreciated. The thing floating in the mix is a thermometer and the cable is leading to the heater, where you can clearly see the greatest foaming action is happening.

Help!?

HP

 

[ManseMasher]

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=55330&page=2

This is a stout too I believe! Try not to mess with it if you can avoid it - every time you do something you stand the chance of introducing nasties to your brew. It will subside! I would however move it from the sockets a tad if you can!!

 

[Fil]

All good, signs of healthy yeast actvity...
close up and stop lifting the lid

 

[HedgePig]

All good, signs of healthy yeast actvity...
close up and stop lifting the lid

I read your reply out loud to my wife who gave me that look that only wives can deliver. I laughed.

Thank you for the speedy reply.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Its normal. I find darker beers tend to be a bit more lively As long as it isn't overflowing I would leave well alone.

What temp are you fermenting at?

 

[HedgePig]

Its normal. I find darker beers tend to be a bit more lively As long as it isn't overflowing I would leave well alone.

What temp are you fermenting at?

It's at EXACTLY 20 degrees. Maybe even 19.8 if I'm being a geek. It just looks very lively next to the lager first batch.

Celsius. To be clear.

 

[MyQul]

Just FYI its called krausen and as others have said is the sign of a healthy ferment. It's so health in fact, some people collect it (it's called top cropping) as it's 'made' out of yeast and it the healthiest and most vital yeast produced during brewing

 

[Slid]

Dark beers, especially stouts, have better head retention than lagers, so even a stout kit is pretty much certain to behave like yours. Looks good to me, too!

 

[LarryF]

The big brain is a sign of a healthy stout.

 

[terrym]

Looks good.
However I would suggest heating the water in a 'bath' in which you place your FV rather than the brew itself.
That way you can seal your FV lid to keep the nasties out (but leave a tiny gap to vent the FV unless you have an airlock), and you avoid your brew being slightly cooked by being in contact with a warm heater surface.
I use a trug container from Wilko's to do this in conjunction with my heater. http://www.wilko.com/laundry-baskets+truggs/wilko-laundry-trug-purple-40l/invt/0267567
And the added bonus is that if the FV does overflow it goes into the water bath not all over the floor :thumb:.

 

[HedgePig]

Looks good.
However I would suggest heating the water in a 'bath' in which you place your FV rather than the brew itself.
That way you can seal your FV lid to keep the nasties out (but leave a tiny gap to vent the FV unless you have an airlock), and you avoid your brew being slightly cooked by being in contact with a warm heater surface.
I use a trug container from Wilko's to do this in conjunction with my heater. http://www.wilko.com/laundry-baskets+truggs/wilko-laundry-trug-purple-40l/invt/0267567
And the added bonus is that if the FV does overflow it goes into the water bath not all over the floor :thumb:.

That's excellent and practical advice thank you.