Too much yeast?

[metalnerdsolid]

I have a 2 gallon fermenter and just tried my hand at my first all grain brew. It's supposed to be a Belgian Dubbel. The yeast pack I got was a little less than 4 months old and made for 5 gallons. 2nd day after pitching the yeast I have a thick head of yeast on everything. Is this normal? The syrup one I made took about a week to get that far...

 

[Nosybear]

Pretty normal. Four months should have reduced the viability to about half so you really didn't pitch too much. In fact, for a Dubbel, it might be a technical underpitch, but since you already have a good krauesen (the thick head of yeast), it sounds like everything is going all right. It's hard to overpitch fresh yeast.

 

[Hawkbox]

Yeah that's pretty normal. There is no hard and fast rule around how krausen will form, which can be nerve wracking. Just let it buck and she'll be right.

 

[metalnerdsolid]

Thanks guys! Was kinda worried that it would be too yeasty. Kinda don't want that in a malty beer imo...

 

[J A]

Most of the Krausen foam is from proteins in the wort. All the sludge leftover from mashing ends up getting suspended in the bubbles and that may account for the "cleaner" look of the extract beer. The only problem you can experience from robust krausen is overflowing the airlock....and if the airlock tub gets clogged with gunk, it'll blow like an oil derrick and make a big mess.

 

[metalnerdsolid]

I actually don't think I have an airlock lol. I'm using a Mr. Beer fermenter I got from the thrift store. Doesn't seem in any danger of exploding though...at least not yet.

 

[J A]

Dude!! Those little fermenters have a couple of small notches to release CO2. All it takes is for them to be a little crudded up and slightly over tightened lid. It can definitely blow. Check in at the Mr. Beer community forum and ask about nightmare scenarios.
As for using yeast cake in that little fermenter, you're just wasting space. That's way too small an amount to pitch a full cake in. Just take a quarter cup of the yeast trub and store the rest in a sanitized mason jar.
Or better still, save all the yeast in a very well sanitized container and pitch something more appropriate for an Irish Red. A half-packet of dry yeast will give you plenty of fermentation in those little barrels.
And get a brew bucket. Cheap investment and way more bang for your brewing buck.

 

[Hogarthe]

Thanks guys! Was kinda worried that it would be too yeasty. Kinda don't want that in a malty beer imo...[/QUOTE

The yeast will settle to the bottom of the fermenter. If you are careful when bottling you won't end up with too much in the bottles so you won't have too much yeast flavor. Also what yeast is in the bottles will settle in the bottle. Pour the beer carefully into a glass and leave the last ounce or 2 in the bottle.

 

[Hawkbox]

A brew bucket and a siphon are probably the best place for you to step up your game right now. For $20-30 you will have a 6 gallon vessel and the ability to move it.

 

[KC]

The yeast will settle to the bottom of the fermenter. If you are careful when bottling you won't end up with too much in the bottles so you won't have too much yeast flavor

The drain valve in the Little Brown Keg limits how much trub can be collected before it starts emptying thick into the first few bottles. It won't be a problem if it's cleaned out every time but re-pitching can eventually cause an issue. The LBK is too small to rack into a bottling bucket.