I am currently brewing a Tripel recipe that I got from Zainasheff and Palmer's book. I followed directions, and everything going into fermentation was consistent with the recipe. It called for slowly increasing the temperature from 64 to 70 degrees over a week. Fermentation started within a day, and has been very controlled. However, the bubbling coming from the blowoff tube has continued at a steady rate now for about 3 weeks with no sign of slowing down. I have brewed several all grain beers but they have all completed primary fermentation within about a week or so. Is this OK? How long can primary fermentation last, and what should I do?
How long can a fermentation last?
- Thread starter Lews_Brew
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Clonefarmer
Well-Known Member
Sometimes bigger beers like a Tripel can take a few weeks to ferment. Gravity readings will tell you exactly whats happening.
NebraskaBrewer
Active Member
I brewed that same recipe 2 weeks ago with a starter of 3787 Trappist high gravity yeast. Had VIGOROUS fermentation in the basement @ 64 degrees, and I mean shoot the airlock out vigorous, still bubbling today. Gravity is currently 1.044, just brought it upstairs for some 70 degree time. I'm thinking it could easily go another week or 2, time will tell, as will the hydrometer.
Yeast doesn't follow a schedule. Don't make firm plans to bottle until the yeast have let you know they are really done. Hydrometer readings will give you a look into what the yeast are doing and when they are done.
El_Exorcisto
Well-Known Member
I just bottled my first dubbel a few nights ago. That fermented visibly for just shy of two weeks, and continued to fall for another few days. Be patient, it'll finish out eventually.
COLObrewer
Well-Known Member
Almost every fermentation is different, there are too many variables to track in order to predict a time schedule.
Some of these variables are out of our control, unless you are fermenting in a vaccuum with humidity control as well as vibration isolation (I am assuming you would have temperature control on this chamber also) I speculate moon phase would still have some degree of control but that is extremely hard to counter and probably not worth the funds it would take to correct.
Brew on my friends
Pitch rates and yeast heath are the biggest determining factors. Get those wrong and it may never even finish.
COLObrewer
Well-Known Member
I brewed a 1.077 IIPA (was shooting for 1.085). A week later I brewed a 1.052 pale ale. The pale ale is now done but the IIPA is not yet at terminal gravity and was brewed 2 weeks ago. It all depends on the yeastie beasties used and OG/FG.
