After 5 weeks in secondary, still bubbling... bottle or no?

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rockout

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Haven't taken a hydrometer reading yet, but I plan to in a couple of minutes... I will post the result in this thread.

Beer is an IPA, OG of 1.082. After 5 weeks in the secondary, we're still seeing healthy bubbles go through the airlock about 2-3 times per minute. Seems like a lot compared to our other brews (granted, this is only our 6th one). What to do???? Please throw some free advice my way, thanks!
 
The only way to be sure is the gravity readings, take readings for a couple of days and see if it's still going down. Big beers need more time, a few more weeks might be needed if not for fermentation at least for taste.
 
Wow, still bubbling after 5 weeks. With the High gravity, did you make a starter or use enuf yeast??? With a gravity THAT high, i would probably use 3 dry packs of yeasts, or 2 vials liquid if no starter was made.

That being said, it is still fermenting, so no, you can't bottle. Take a hydrometer reading....once it stay the same 2-3 days in a row, THEN you can bottle.

I would assume though since you are still bubbling, that means fermentation is still going on.

That does seem rather long though, wow!
 
It was in the primary for about 36 hours before it started bubbling; we left in in there for 7 days after that.
 
that high a gravity, i would have left it in the primary for longer, up to a month. secondary is not for fermentation...it's for clearing the beer...also for moving your beer off the trub (that's why i say UP TO a month)

that's probably why it has taken so long is because you racked to early...you lost alot of the yeast. i've made that mistake before...even when i knew better.

check the gravity and let us know how it's going. the bubbling may be simply alot of co2 still in the carboy, but the brew itself may be finished.
 
Just took a reading - it's at 1.021

That's pretty close to 75%; from what I've read, that's about what we're looking for, right?

Too close to call? Should we still wait? Or are we good bottling tonight?
 
Remember, ALWAYS better to wait and be sure, and waiting generally only IMPROVES the final product!
 
If your not in a rush, you may want to re-rack to clarify the beer. It sounds like your secondary is effectivlly a slow primary.
 
libs said:
If your not in a rush, you may want to re-rack to clarify the beer. It sounds like your secondary is effectivlly a slow primary.

+1 to that. or do a cold crash, or a gelatin clarification.
 
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