Trailerhook
Member
Okay, I'm new here and new to the hobby so bear with me. Two weeks ago I brewed my first batch of beer. It was a Mild Ale extract kit from NB. Documentation that came with the kit said fermentation would be completed and the beer would be ready to bottle in two weeks. Tomorrow will be two weeks. I just took a peek at the carboy and I am still getting a bubble through the airlock at a rate of about one every 60 seconds (down from about one every 45 seconds a couple days ago). So that tells me I still have active fermentation going on (am I wrong?).
Also, during the early stages of fermentation a cap of kraussen about 1" thick developed. My understanding is that fermentation will be complete when the kraussen receeds and falls back into the beer. Well, I still have a little less than a half inch of it still floating on the top of my beer and it's been like that for days....it doesn't appear to be receeding any further.
I guess I just expected (based on the recommended fermentation period) that the bubbles in the airlock should have stopped by now and that the foam should have receeded by now. Do you guys think I have a problem? I know the "real" way to know when fermentation is complete is to take gravity readings for a few days to determine if the gravity has stabilized. But I don't see any point in taking a gravity reading if all visual signs still suggest active fermentation is taking place. Do I have any reason to be concerned that my low-alcohol simple mild ale extract kit appears to be taking so long to ferment?
Also, during the early stages of fermentation a cap of kraussen about 1" thick developed. My understanding is that fermentation will be complete when the kraussen receeds and falls back into the beer. Well, I still have a little less than a half inch of it still floating on the top of my beer and it's been like that for days....it doesn't appear to be receeding any further.
I guess I just expected (based on the recommended fermentation period) that the bubbles in the airlock should have stopped by now and that the foam should have receeded by now. Do you guys think I have a problem? I know the "real" way to know when fermentation is complete is to take gravity readings for a few days to determine if the gravity has stabilized. But I don't see any point in taking a gravity reading if all visual signs still suggest active fermentation is taking place. Do I have any reason to be concerned that my low-alcohol simple mild ale extract kit appears to be taking so long to ferment?