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chocolate milk stout fermentation topic

john thorn

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I just placed a stout into the secondary fermentor yesterday. I notice when I removed the lid form the primary, there was still a heavy layer of foam (1/2 to 3/4 inches thick and covering the entire top surface) or krausen on the top surface. This batch showed activity in the air lock for the better part of 9 days straight and was in he primary for a total of 15 days. Of course, when moving to the secondary I had seen no additional activity in the airlock for about 1 week. is it possible that additional fermentation had yet to take place? can a beer be through fermentation with the foam layer still on the top? Thanks for your help!!!!!!
 
I usually leave my beers for three to four weeks in primary. That's probably why I've not seen your issue. Even with all the time I spend in primary, I still check my gravity a few times to be sure fermentation is complete. Mother Nature will sometimes let fermentation proceed so slowly that you won't see any airlock activity, but if the yeast are still eating sugar, you'll see the gravity declining.
 
ole Happy here, I use us-o5 yeast alot and it always leaves a thick layer on top that is sorta rubbery. I transfer my beer and not disturb this layer but it is hard to tell when you have gotten all the beer out. anyway it doesnt seem to bother my beer any so I just march on. Happy brewin
 
For the chocolate... Did you use coco powder? I had this happen to a chocolate porter I made a few years back..

Matt
 
I will share my Mo-ca Porter LoL... I made this back in my kit days think it was like my 4th brew. It was a True Brew Porter kit that I added un-sweeten coco powder at end of boil the kind used for cooking not chocolate milk and I cold steeped a real good coffee and added it at bottling to taste.

Matt 
 
sure the recipe i used is:
* 8 lbs rahr pale ale malt
*.75 lbs fawcet pale chocolate malt
*.25 lbs english extra dar crystal
* .75 lbs weyermann carafe III
*.75 cluster for 60 mins
*1 lb lactose - 60 mins
*.5 oz cluster for 30 mins
*4 oz of cocoa nibs at secondary
*wyeast # 1332




 
Whats the temperature of the room or place your keeping your beer at. I have noticed when the room is a lower temperature it ferments at a slower rate and took 3 weeks to ferment. 
 
I do keep the room i ferment in on the cooler side at 63 to 65F. I think you hit on the issue actually. I need to get a warmer of some sort. Thanks for the input
 
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