I brewed an extract bock beer on Saturday. The fermentation is working real good but is the brown foaming norm!


Question: I brewed an extract bock beer on Saturday!. The fermentation is working real good but is the brown foaming norm
I know it is yeast but is the brown stuff bad!?Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
The brown stuff is harmless!. It is indeed a kraeunsen layer!. It consists of yeast cells but also glycoproteins, tannins, hops compounds, and carbonic acid!. Does your fermentor look like this!?
http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/swirlspice/!.!.!.
Good this is normal and good news!. “When you remove this bitter resin, you will have gained the added benefit of diminishing the fusel oils that are a result of fermentation!. These fusel oils are responsible for symptoms of "beer headache!." (Bella) But it is not removed by many Brewers for two reasons!. First you can add contamination causing bacteria and yeast sabotaging your product!. also and this is important, it is a waste of your time and efforts!. It has been shown that the elements that contained in the kraeuseng layer have little sensory influence on the beer!.
Old time brewers practiced skimming the brown layer!. This is still done by some traditional brewers that use open fermentors!. But this too has more to do with yeast harvesting than it does with beer flavor concerns!.



In a related issue for carbonating your beer see these articles!.
http://byo!.com/departments/1550!.html
http://www!.mbaa!.com/techquarterly/abstra!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

That is what you want!. It is a layer of yeast!. The brown color comes from your extract and if you steeped grains then it too!. It is normal so forget about it!.
In the old days of homebrewing it was recommended it be removed because it contains bitterness!. The source of bitterness is the hops and we want it!. Back then open vessels were used for fermentation so access to the foam layer was easy!. Since you got a strong ferment let it go and enjoy the fruits of your labor!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Good job on the beer!. No worries dude, if you got a good foam layer (kraeunsen) that is great!. The brown layer of foam is normal in darker beers and not to be a source of worry!. It is a matrix of proteins!. and CO2!. The grain and hop compounds are responsible for the color!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Salutations,
I would say Yes, Normal!. so far so good!. when I brewed many years ago, it used to take all my patients to wait to bottle the stuff, used to drive my brewing friends nuts!. But we had very Few "undrinkable" experiences!.CheersWww@FoodAQ@Com

At the end of the fermentation cycle, most of the foam will dissolve and the the brown bits will sink to the bottom of the fermenter!. It will be left behind when you rack into keg or bottles!.

Do not worry!. Be patient!. Enjoy!Www@FoodAQ@Com

No man it is cool!. I have helped friends make their beers that had it!. It seemed like they had burned it or something!. But the beer was real good so just don't worry!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Its kinda like head n shoulder!. "That's how you know it's working!."Www@FoodAQ@Com





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