Beer still fermenting after nearly four weeks!

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MikeFallopian

MikeFallopian

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Hi all,

I made a 1.091 beer almost four weeks ago, and the thing is still fermenting! After four days or so of pretty vigorous fermentation it slowed down to periodic airlock bubbling, and is now bubbling once every thirty minutes or so. Ambient temperature at the moment is about 18C, probably dropping down to 15-16C in the dead of night. The beer has raisins, vanilla pods, cloves and orange peel in it, all of which were added to the boil for fifteen minutes then transferred to the primary with the beer.

I was slightly concerned about an infection, so I tested the gravity this evening. When I took the lid off, the thing was visibly bubbling away, though all the krausen was gone. The gravity reading was 1.032, and the sample tasted great with no signs of infection, so I don't think it's infected.

Any thoughts? Shall I just leave it ride out for a few more weeks?
 
What yeast are you using? I've made a beer before that had to sit in primary for SIX weeks! (not to brag, just, these things happen) It's one of my favorite beers to date. If it's not tasting infected and the gravity is still dropping....
YR DOIN IT RIGHT

tumblr_mbane6izVz1qzzvrn.gif
 
Lavender_Pepper said:
What yeast are you using? I've made a beer before that had to sit in primary for SIX weeks! (not to brag, just, these things happen) It's one of my favorite beers to date. If it's not tasting infected and the gravity is still dropping....
YR DOIN IT RIGHT

tumblr_mbane6izVz1qzzvrn.gif
Click to expand...

The yeast was Safbrew T-58 repitched from a previous batch (which also tastes great, by the way - I'm drinking it as I type!). I repitched up with the correct amount of slurry according to Mr Malty's calculator. The fermentation took off easily, so I'm assuming enough cells were present.
 
The fact that it's bubbling really does not mean it is still fermenting, could just be off gassing from a bump or change in pressure or temperature. While I will assume 1.032 is not the desired FG there is the possibility it will continue dropping and it may not. This will depend on your grain bill and mash temperatures. In addition, since you re-used yeast there is also the possibility that it was not the healthiest yeast and may not fully attenuate.

You stated the krausen dropped and this usually does not occur if fermentation is still happening as the yeast have completely dropped. You may want to rouse the yeast a bit and see if you can generate some more activity to lose some additional points as well.

If you provide mash temps and grain bill someone can chime in and let you know if you may possibly have a less fermentable wort than desired. Since you mentioned your sample tasted good and not overly sweet it may possibly be done:)
 
Just going from 1.091 to 1.032 is almost 8% ABV... seems quite possible the high alcohol has slowed the yeasties down but not halted their progress altogether.

You could probably let it warm up a few degrees and give it a gentle rouse if you want to encourage the yeast to keep working, but, ultimately, you won't know they're done fermenting until your hydrometer readings start coming up the same.
 
duboman said:
The fact that it's bubbling really does not mean it is still fermenting, could just be off gassing from a bump or change in pressure or temperature. While I will assume 1.032 is not the desired FG there is the possibility it will continue dropping and it may not. This will depend on your grain bill and mash temperatures. In addition, since you re-used yeast there is also the possibility that it was not the healthiest yeast and may not fully attenuate.

You stated the krausen dropped and this usually does not occur if fermentation is still happening as the yeast have completely dropped. You may want to rouse the yeast a bit and see if you can generate some more activity to lose some additional points as well.

If you provide mash temps and grain bill someone can chime in and let you know if you may possibly have a less fermentable wort than desired. Since you mentioned your sample tasted good and not overly sweet it may possibly be done:)
Click to expand...

The sample tasted good, but was sweet. It's bubbling a lot, so I definitely think it is still fermenting. Here are the recipe details for an 18L batch (I ended up subbing some hops on brew day):


Daddy Adam's Dark XXXmas Phantasy (Specialty Beer)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.091 (°P): 21.8
Final Gravity (FG): 1.015 (°P): 3.8
Alcohol (ABV): 9.91 %
Colour (SRM): 22.5 (EBC): 44.3
Bitterness (IBU): 34.5 (Average)

64% Maris Otter Malt (4kg)
16% Cane Sugar (1kg)
8% Molasses Sugar (500g)
4.8% Crystal 120 (300g)
4% Raisins (250g)
3.2% Special-B (200g)

1.9 g/L Crystal (4.3% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
2.2 g/L Saaz (3.6% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.6 g/L Crystal (4.3% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

0.1 g/L Allspice @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.3 g/L Cinnamon Stick @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.3 g/L Clove @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.3 g/L Orange Peel @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.3 g/L Vanilla @ 5 Days (Boil and Primary)

Single step Infusion at 66°C for 90 Minutes.
 
Assuming your thermometer is calibrated and accurate your mash temp is good and it looks like a tasty beer. I will point out that the simple sugars may have filled up the yeast before they got to the more complex sugars and caused them to poop out early, especially since you said the beer is already clear. IMO you raise the temp a bit and rouse the yeast back into suspension and hopefully they will finish up for you.
 
duboman said:
Assuming your thermometer is calibrated and accurate your mash temp is good and it looks like a tasty beer. I will point out that the simple sugars may have filled up the yeast before they got to the more complex sugars and caused them to poop out early, especially since you said the beer is already clear. IMO you raise the temp a bit and rouse the yeast back into suspension and hopefully they will finish up for you.
Click to expand...

The beer isn't clear - it looks pretty yeasty and murky, though it's a dark brown beer, so quite hard to ascertain the level of cloudiness.
 
This thing is still bubbling away, though at very long intervals, and the lid of the fermenter is still contorted. However, there is a very good seal on the lid and around the airlock, so this could be built-up CO2 escaping slowly, I guess.

Could this still be fermenting? I'm weary of opening it up again until it's done, as I don't want to risk infection.

Any thoughts?
 
A gravity reading is really the only way to know. If you sanitize your hydrometer and thief really well, you should be ok re:infection. You can even take it through the air lock hole so you don't have to remove the lid if you're really worried about it. just remove the bung and dip the thief in.
 
You are really going to have to open it. I'm doubtful it is still fermenting, but gravity readings will tell the story....

If its been in the fermenter this long, a gravity reading is very, very unlikely to cause an infection if you sanitize.

Airlock can be outgassing of residual CO2 and can't be used as an indicator.
 
Yeah, I'd check the gravity again. Bubbling airlocks can indicate many things other than fermentation, so don't assume it's still fermenting just because you see bubbles. Check the gravity today, then check it again in another couple days. If the gravity is stable across 3 or 4 days, dollars to donuts you're not fermenting anymore.

If that gravity is considerably higher than you expect it to be, there may be some things you can do to try to remedy that - but simply waiting on it and leaving it as-is probably won't do anything for you IF a gravity tests show that the gravity is stable across 3 or more days.
 
stratslinger said:
Yeah, I'd check the gravity again. Bubbling airlocks can indicate many things other than fermentation, so don't assume it's still fermenting just because you see bubbles. Check the gravity today, then check it again in another couple days. If the gravity is stable across 3 or 4 days, dollars to donuts you're not fermenting anymore.

If that gravity is considerably higher than you expect it to be, there may be some things you can do to try to remedy that - but simply waiting on it and leaving it as-is probably won't do anything for you IF a gravity tests show that the gravity is stable across 3 or more days.
Click to expand...

If it has finished fermenting and the gravity is too high, what do you recommend I do?
 
I have a Belgian Dark Strong going (OG 1.107) and it is in it's fourth week of fermentation. I figure at least two more weeks, I have been monitoring it using a refractometer. With the high alcohol the yeast really have to work hard for that last 1/3 of the fermentation.
 
Last batch was a 1.095 and it fermented down to 1.016 with 3 weeks in primary. I did, however, use a 1 gallon starter so the yeast had a good set up to get through it without being put under too much stress.... chances are it was done before that, but family was dealing with something serious at the end of that second week.

OP - if it finishes high there is little you can do except take the lesson and enjoy what you have. Others may have suggestions, but its still beer! Most likely cause is the mash temp was too high resulting in a lot if longer, less fermentable sugars.

EDIT: I personally will mash in the lower range, 148F or so. I usually always come out with a good attenuation. I also do a slight stepped mash. 148F for 40 minutes, add boiling water to increase to 154-155F for 20-30 minutes.
 
Well, the beer is down to 1.022 now, making it 9.2%. I think it may be done fermenting, but I'm going to check the gravity again in two days' time, just in case. Do you think it's done? Should I not bother checking it again and just bottle it?

The sample tastes REALLY GOOD.
 
Definitely check it again in 2 days' time. You just can't tell based on a single sample if it's done or not.

That said, at 1.022, you're talking 76% apparent attenuation, which is pretty decent for most ale yeasts. I would not be surprised to see that it's done there - but I've had a recent string of beers go in the mid 80's for apparent attenuation, so it definitely won't hurt you to check again in another couple days.
 
MikeFallopian said:
This thing is still bubbling away, though at very long intervals, and the lid of the fermenter is still contorted. However, there is a very good seal on the lid and around the airlock, so this could be built-up CO2 escaping slowly, I guess.

Could this still be fermenting? I'm weary of opening it up again until it's done, as I don't want to risk infection.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

You are wary of opening it up again.

You might get weary (tired) if you opened it a couple of hundred times. Sorry, pet peeve.

I hate to say it, but bubbles at that point sound like gusher infection.

If they speed up at all, you have gusher and kegging is the ONLY option.
 
cheezydemon3 said:
You are wary of opening it up again.

You might get weary (tired) if you opened it a couple of hundred times. Sorry, pet peeve.

I hate to say it, but bubbles at that point sound like gusher infection.

If they speed up at all, you have gusher and kegging is the ONLY option.
Click to expand...

Ha ha! Apologies for the typo, Mr Pedant! A good spot! Although in some ways I have been been made weary by this beer, given the amount of time it has taken.

There are no bubbles whatsoever now, so I doubt it's infected, and there have been no 'off' or unexpected flavours when I have tasted the sample.
 
MikeFallopian said:
Ha ha! Apologies for the typo, Mr Pedant! A good spot! Although in some ways I have been been made weary by this beer, given the amount of time it has taken.

There are no bubbles whatsoever now, so I doubt it's infected, and there have been no 'off' or unexpected flavours when I have tasted the sample.
Click to expand...

Very Glad to hear it!!! Wow, long ferment. Bet you were weary!

:mug:
 
As this has taken so long to ferment, will I need to give it another dose of yeast at bottling?
 

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