Why would this happen...

I made an eleven gallon batch of Belgian Wit. Due to nosy little girls with lots of questions as I transferred to fermenting carboys I accidentally filled one carboy more than the other (kind of a big difference). Pitched both from the same jug of starter.

Both started fermenting vigorously within 8 hours . It's been almost two weeks. The lesser filled carboy has appeared done for days. No krausen. No bubbles at all in airlock.

The other carboy is still rolling, with a thin layer of krausen and pretty consistent bubbling.

Just wondering why they'd be so different given it was the same wort and same starter.

Any opinions? I tasted both and they taste fine.

Oh sure, blame it on the children.

Did you pitch the same amount of starter in both? Obviously, there's more sugar in the more-full carboy and the yeast to fermentables ratio was different. Maybe there was an underpitch that needed to catch up. I'unno., just a guess.

Big difference in volume means a lower pitch rate, most likely.

That makes sense. I really need to calibrate my carboys. As for blaming the children... you might be right, though my youngest is pretty fascinated by what goes on in the basement brewery. LOOOTTTTTAA questions. Gotta love it.