Is My Beer Done Fermenting

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rjdunlap2

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I Brewed 7 Days Ago Today Tuesday And In The Start My Airlock Was Bubbling Like Crazy And Now It Is Only Bubbling Once Every 2 Min Or So Is It Close And How Do I Know For Sure
 
I think the answer would be using a hydrometer to take readings over three days or so, and if the readings remain constant, then it's done fermenting.

I'll let more knowledgeable minds tell us more...
 
The only way to know for sure is to take hydrometer readings on consecutive days; if the reading stays the same then you are done.

Since it has been 7 days I bet you are getting close but the little bit of airlock activity tells me the yeast might still be doing their thing. Like I said, take the hydro readings and see where you are at.
 
First off, I'd give it another week before you worry about it. In answer to your question the only way you can know for sure is to take a hydrometer reading, then another 2 days later to see if it's changed. Airlock bubbling is a very poor gauge of fermentation as a lot of factors affect the rate.
 
I have a beer that's been fermenting for two weeks. I brewed a week before you, and just yesterday the krausen started falling, but I still have some airlock activity. In my experience, the beers that I forget about or get to busy to mess with turn out the best. I'd let it sit for at least a few more days (and certainly until the krausen's fallen) before taking any hydro readings. :)
 
well, mind you from my knowledge correct me if I am wrong, but leaving it in for more than 4+ weeks can have negative effects as the yeast will begin to cannibalize its self.
 
well, mind you from my knowledge correct me if I am wrong, but leaving it in for more than 4+ weeks can have negative effects as the yeast will begin to cannibalize its self.

No they won't...people have long since disproved it, and even left their beers in primary for 6 months. The myth of autolysis for homebrewers not brewing LAGERS has been long busted.

If you learned about it from How to Brew, you like many new brewer's were left so scared by his discussion that you missed the MOST IMPORTANT paragraph on it...the LAST ONE.

As a final note on this subject, I should mention that by brewing with healthy yeast in a well-prepared wort, many experienced brewers, myself included, have been able to leave a beer in the primary fermenter for several months without any evidence of autolysis.

Not to mention this as well....
Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermentor for a total of 2-3 weeks (instead of just the one week most kits recommend), will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the beer. This extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. And, three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur.

And not to mention that when Palmer goes into his long discourse about it, it is in the section on Lagers.

A lot of folks fail to notice these key details and perpetuate this fear about long primary and ales.

:mug:
 
I believe in the september 2009 issue of Brew Your Own they presented some "research" where people racked half of their beer and left the other half in the primary. After so many weeks they sampled the beer and almost everyone decided that there was no difference (or the beer left longer in the primary tasted better!).
 
I believe in the september 2009 issue of Brew Your Own they presented some "research" where people racked half of their beer and left the other half in the primary. After so many weeks they sampled the beer and almost everyone decided that there was no difference (or the beer left longer in the primary tasted better!).

Yup, and a lot of it was fueled by the discussions on this forum. We tend to push the envelope of both mythbusting and new brewing wisdom here.

Although I am glad the better brewing/byo folks tackled it, I found some of their research methodology or experiments lacking. BUT they did disprove the older notion that prolonged yeast contact is bad.
 
I believe in the september 2009 issue of Brew Your Own they presented some "research" where people racked half of their beer and left the other half in the primary. After so many weeks they sampled the beer and almost everyone decided that there was no difference (or the beer left longer in the primary tasted better!).

I read this as well.
 
I just bottled a batch of brown ale (Midwest's Big Ben Brown) this weekend that had been in the fermenter 2 weeks and had a FG of 1.02. I probably should have waited another week. The yeast I used was a of Wyeast 1098 (yes I did a starter). I bet I should have waited another week after reading the above posts, My OG was about 1.052 (I added an extra lb of amber DME) The temp ranged in the mid 60's. Do u think my beer will turn out OK?
 
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