15 days....still fermenting

I made a Belgian wit on Jan 19th and its still fermenting. I used Wyeast brand Belgian Witbier yeast 3944. My OG was 1.057. Temp has ranged from 65 to 70 degrees over the last two weeks. I'm pretty anal about sterilizing so I don't think it's that, but the beer seems to be hazing up so I'm concerned. So do I have an infection or can this yeast strain really take this long to ferment.

By fermenting, do you mean still dropping the last couple points OR bubbling away like crazy? Lots of belgian yeast take their sweet time getting those last few points off.

How have you determined it is still fermenting? Have you been checking gravity daily orlooking for bubbles coming thru the airlock? If you're counting bubbles then track the rate for a couple of days to determine if fermentation is winding down.

I'd let it run for a while longer. It doesn't sound like anything concerning is going on.

The haze is probably just yeast floating around.

Your temperature range is pretty reasonable. If your system spent more time at the lower end then fermentation will take a little longer.

SOMDBrewer said:

I made a Belgian wit on Jan 19th and its still fermenting. I used Wyeast brand Belgian Witbier yeast 3944. My OG was 1.057. Temp has ranged from 65 to 70 degrees over the last two weeks. I'm pretty anal about sterilizing so I don't think it's that, but the beer seems to be hazing up so I'm concerned. So do I have an infection or can this yeast strain really take this long to ferment.

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The only way to KNOW is to take gravity readings. If you're sanitary, there's no real risk. Then you can make a decision based on facts. It does seem strange to me that a fairly low gravity ale with Belgian yeast is taking two weeks to finish.

How do you know it's still fermenting, what's the gravity at now?

I haven't checked the gravity yet, that's my next step. It's going a stead 8 bubbles a minute. And has been at that rate for well over a week. I have yeast settling in the bottom but the krausen is healthy looking and 2-3 inches thick.

I would let it keep ripping. Wait for it to slow down, and then take a reading.

3944 is really gassy. I've had beers fermented with that yeast where the blowoff was still chugging away but the gravity reading indicated a finished product. Check it.

I did some research on that same yeast today because I have the same problem and the answer I found came from Chris White so I assume he knows what he is talking about. He told the other brewer that this yeast likes it warm. How warm the other brewer asked? Like 90 F was the answer and when that other brewer tried it at 90 it finished quickly. Mine is slowly ramping up from 72 and was up to 78 this evening. I'll know in a couple more days.

Before I started this batch my research on this yeast said that it either is really slow (my case) or super fast. I suspect the temperature is the defining part of the equation. I kept mine at 62 for 3 days before slowly ramping it up.

Well I don't think I can get it up to 90 but I can attempt to get it up to 80. I think after all the advice I'm going to check the gravity. If its done I'm going to take it to my basement and let the yeast slow down so that I can bottle it. I'll follow up tomorrow with the gravity.

So i tested the gravity and its only at 1.028, so not done yet. I'm just gonna let it go. I tasted the sample I took and didn't taste any kind of infection or anything. So I think im good, just taking forever. Think I might heat the room up a bit.

Can you ramp up the temps? Try a water bath with an aquarium heater if you're not set up with a ferm chamber.

I don't have any equipment like that. I only make ales and I ferment in a small half bathroom and it stays in a range of 65 to 72 all year long. I've never had any issues fermenting at that temp, so I have yet to spring the funds for a water bath system. I think I'll wrap the carboy to block out light an throw a couple extra lights in there. The room is probably only 15 square feet, so a couple extra lights will heat the room enough.

I bottled my Belgian wit today. It had been bubbling for 2 weeks, first at 62 degrees, then a week at 72, and then I put it where it would get warmer, like 83. On the third day it quit bubbling and today the FG was 1.006, a little lower than the 1.016 predicted. It tastes good, no off flavors. Now to get it carbonated.

Cool, sounds good. Mine has finally slowed down after a couple days at around 74 degrees. I think I'm going to bottle it in a couple days.