Hammer and Nail

starter: (Wed night). 1 cup wheat DME, 20 oz water, 10 minute boil (pellets/water/DME) , cooled down to 77° (room temp was 71°), shook up (lidded), mixed w/one tube Wyeast 1338 European Ale (mfg: Aug 5 2005) into sanitized 51 oz glass bottle, cap with fermentation lock (sanitized), dark place -- basement temp is 70° -- plan to let this go for 3 days and brew w/half, save half (pre-bottling yeast kicker)

Brewday: 71° in basement. smells a bit smoky -- the last beer w/smoked malt was too ashy (crossing fingers for this one)

next day: about 12 hours after pitch fermentation visible, a slow pipping

rackday: a thick opaque elastic foam remained

this foam persisted once racked: preventing clearing (the beer was unable to degas at the very least, which in turn prevented settling). So I racked it again, if it settles and clears will bottle in a week

another week has passed and there is still a slight foam on the beer. so to check that disaster has not struck I take a hydrometer reading -- 1.020 (did not take initial grav, but final grav of this beer is supposed to 1.017 to 1.019, so fermentation is probably complete). I tasted the sample and it tasted fine. Perhaps the gas is just keeping things from settling. I removed some water from the fermentation lock -- maybe the gas will escape more quickly. Consideration has been given to moving it to the garage for clearing, but the overnight temp is quite cold in there, about 35°. Will watch and see if it clears in the basement. Would like to bottle ASAP.

bottling day: clear enough. 43 small + 4 large. only a mouthful of leftovers -- which tasted fine