I had the same issue last year if you look back in my posts. Basically the brown crust refused to mix in so I just scraped most of it off and threw it, I left a thin layer on to protect the fermenting brew.
My process included using a brew bin for the initial fermenting (F), you don't need to do anything elaborate if it's in a clean place, just clip the lid on fully, then pull it apart very slightly in one area so the gas can escape, but nothing can get in.
If you need to know whether it's completely stopped or not just clip the lid on fully and see if it bows up and how quickly, you soon learn to read what is going on.
After the initial F was over and it had cleared a bit I syphoned off into DJs to let it clear even further, at this point you can add more sugar or other things like Honey, Cranberry etc.
When it had cleared completely and finished F a few weeks later it was bottled off.
