New brewer - yeast question

Who can help me with this question?  Brewed my first batch 6 days ago (Bass Ale clone using dried Safeale yeast packet which I sprinkled on the top of the wort after cooling to 75 degrees).  After a day I observed vigoruous bubbling activity through the air lock.  Went to take a gravity reading today and found big mounds of globby yeast floating on the surface.  But otherwise the brew below the floating yeast looked and smelled fine (good actually).  Gravity reading was 1.012.  OG was 1.044.

When I pitched the yeast, I specifically did not stir the yeast into the wort (just sprinkled it on top as the instructions said).  And now, that's were all the yeast appears to be.  Should I have stirred the yeast in? Did the yeast finish its job?  Will the yeast eventually settle and if so when might that be?  If not, can I bottle the beer from below the surface or strain out the floating yeast?

Thanks,
Gary

It worked.  Most of the yeast foam will fall, and the longer you let it sit, the better it will clear. 

Your siphon will draw from the clear middle initially and then you'll maneuver it around to maximize beer and minimize crud. 

It worked this time, but you'll maximize dry yeast performance by proofing it with pre-boiled 75F water for 30 minutes before pitching.  The drying process is tough on yeast, and if the first substance to wet the cells is high-gravity sugary wort, it's stressful, esp. with higher gravities.

Give it a little more time and the Krausen will fall out of suspension. You don't want to rush it.

Cheers
Preston

Uselessii Lives! 

I'm expecting lots of pix of a fully built brewery building...

I wish... Been hectic at work. It's getting better we just got out of a hiring freez and hired 1 more person. So I have a little more free time...

As for pic's, Well we got the road into the property done, and put in a nice gate. It's a start... The actual building process has been delayed, because we are waiting for my son to graduate high school before we move out into the sticks... o:

Cheers
Preston

All new brewers attempt to grasp all the facts about yeast but it takes some time & a few successes under the belt before we relax a little.
You are seeing activity a little outside the norm but almost certainly all is well.
Pre-hydrating your dried yeast is a good idea (as is here suggested) but it is not necessary.
I'd suggest always using two dry yeast sachets if you intend direct sprinkling on the top of your wort, it just reduces the (small) chance of a slow start or failure to start.
I try to always use freely available well known yeasts & I try to build a picture about how that yeast behaves.
Remember to allow sufficient time for complete primary fermentation, a few days extra is not a problem - the yeast may take 2 to 5 days to settle.
Then check gravity, 99 times out of 100 it will be ready to bottle.
Your biggest risk is you will accidentaly break the hydrometer!!
Good luck