34 days and still bubbling.

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Mrcrowley269

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Started a brew on new years eve. The brew started to bubble new years day. There was some blow off, but my major question is on a 5 gallon batch, bubbling for 34 days and still bubbling every 40-50 seconds. Is that. Normal? I did the recipe, should have been 1.071 but added about 3/4 more left over sugar. Also, does a longer ferment usually mean a higher ABV? I have kept the carboy under 70 degrees. Mainly around 65 degrees.
 
airlock bubbles mean nothing. the airlock is a co2 vent and can bubble for numerous reasons. fermentation being only one of the reasons. take hydrometer reading, write down the number. on sunday take another reading, if they're the same, your beer's done.
 
I can't tell you why, but some of mine do that once in a while. I just brewed up a batch coming up on 3 weeks ago. I have six buckets full, and one of them is still bubbling almost once a minute. Not a peep out of the rest of em. I'm sure the beer is fine though. I don't think it will have an impact on FG or the resultant ABV.
 
My hydro shows 1.054...that seems very high. It was fermenting good, and slowed down normally. There is a big yeast cake as I did an all grain and used a hop bag to reduce Trub.
 
1.054 is pretty high after 34 days of fermentation. Can you post your recipe including yeast used and mash temp? That would help.
 
My hydro shows 1.054...that seems very high. It was fermenting good, and slowed down normally. There is a big yeast cake as I did an all grain and used a hop bag to reduce Trub.

ruh roh, either your hydro's off or somethings fishy. have you checked your hydro in 60 degree water?

and yeah, i agree with Dan, post your recipe and process and maybe we can figure this out.
 
17.5 lb Belgian pilsner
1 lb caramunch
.44 lb biscuit
.31 lb aromatic
.19 lb chocolate

1bottle dark candi syrup
About 1 lb rock candi

1.25 styiran golden
.25 styrain golden
.25 haullertauer
.25 styiran golden
.25 haullertauer

Wlp530 as a starter

Mash about 140 for 90 minutes
Sparge at 170
 
17.5 lb Belgian pilsner
1 lb caramunch
.44 lb biscuit
.31 lb aromatic
.19 lb chocolate

1bottle dark candi syrup
About 1 lb rock candi

1.25 styiran golden
.25 styrain golden
.25 haullertauer
.25 styiran golden
.25 haullertauer

Wlp530 as a starter

Mash about 140 for 90 minutes
Sparge at 170

could be a mash issue. i think you'd want to do a two step infusion with continental pilsner malt.
also, when did you add the simple sugars. it can help to add them during fermentation to let the yeast have some maltose first.

Hydro may be off...it is old and read 1.000 as a fg for my last brew. But that would have made it low.

could the paper in the hydro be sliding around? sounds like that's likely with what you're describing. hydro's are cheap, maybe get a new on and try it out.
 
But tasting it, it doesn't taste much like alcohol...could that be because of all the grain? It doesn't really taste bad, just a little different. Not much of a alcohol bite like my 1st two...there is a pretty large yeast cake. Brew went in clean and used a hops bag...should I try more yeast? I have a little left over, but it has been sitting it the same wort, had some left over. I may be wrong about the alcohol though. Caught a little buzz on the sample.
 
But tasting it, it doesn't taste much like alcohol...could that be because of all the grain? It doesn't really taste bad, just a little different. Not much of a alcohol bite like my 1st two...there is a pretty large yeast cake. Brew went in clean and used a hops bag...should I try more yeast? I have a little left over, but it has been sitting it the same wort, had some left over. I may be wrong about the alcohol though. Caught a little buzz on the sample.

like i said, it may be a mash issue. 90 min at 140 will convert highly modified malt, but continental pils isn't highly modified. it generally would need to go through a short protein rest before the sacch rest at 140. i usually never mash that low, and with an under modified malt like pilsner, i'd do a 15 or so min rest at 133 and then onto the sacch rest, generally i do that between 145-155.

you could try rep itching, maybe your yeast pooped out on ya. was it a fresh pack when you made the starter? how well did you aerate the wort before you pitched?
 
If the gravity was 1.054 it would taste pretty sweet. It should come out fairly dry, since you mashed low. Resting for 90 minutes should have helped the conversion since alpha was less active. So I don't think the mash was your issue unless you lost a bunch of heat during the rest. Since your hydro sounds unreliable, I would just go by taste for this batch. If you think it tastes too sweet, try warming it up and rousing the yeast and see if that helps bring it down.
 
like i said, it may be a mash issue. 90 min at 140 will convert highly modified malt, but continental pils isn't highly modified. it generally would need to go through a short protein rest before the sacch rest at 140. i usually never mash that low, and with an under modified malt like pilsner, i'd do a 15 or so min rest at 133 and then onto the sacch rest, generally i do that between 145-155.

you could try rep itching, maybe your yeast pooped out on ya. was it a fresh pack when you made the starter? how well did you aerate the wort before you pitched?

Doing a protien rest won't have an effect on conversion. It will only help with body and haze issues. The enzymes are already there from nature and the malting process.
 
I found the below recipe I believe it is similar to yours. Aside from the mash temp difference maybe a yeast starter would have made the diff. WLP530, from what I've read was the correct yeast to use, maybe the yeast count just wasn't high enough. Repitch more yeast. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=866052
Grain:

17.5 lb Dingemans Belgian Pilsner
1 lb Caramunich (belg)
.44 lb Biscuit
.31 lb Aromatic
.25 lb Special B
.19 lb Chocolate

Candi Sugar:
1 bottle of the Dark Candi Syrup(this is key, use the syrup)
.25 Amber Rock Candi
Added with 15 mins left in the boil

Hops:
1.25 oz. Styrian Golding (60 min)
.25 oz. Styrian Goldings (15 min)
.25 oz. Haullertauer (15 min)
.25 oz. Styrian Goldings (1 min)
.25 oz. Haullertauer (1 min)

Yeast: WLP 530 (probably gonna want to make a 1 gallon starter)

Single infusion mash at 149 for 90 min. Mash out at 170 for 10-15 min. Sparge at 170. Boil for 60 minutes.

I did this one last november and its awesome! Lots of sweet, molasses and raisins a little heavy on the tounge with a suprisingly crisp finish.
 
Doing a protien rest won't have an effect on conversion. It will only help with body and haze issues. The enzymes are already there from nature and the malting process.

true. i was just trying to help the OP troubleshoot a bit, saw he was using pilsner malt in a single infusion, so i suggested that. but your totally right, i don't think that's his issue. i really suspect a slipping grid paper in his hydro. he's gotten a low and possibly, just possibly a high reading.
 
I think my mash started at about 149...I was unaware of preheating at the time, but did wrap it with a heavy blanket. I also extended the boil because I had extra, boil was about 90 minutes.
 
I will get a new hydro from the store and take a new reading Sunday and see what it says. I have been looking at the refract's but have mixed feelings as I have read they are not so hot on the FG, any thoughts?
 
Thanks all for the advise...next time it is attempted I will try the 2 step. And add the extra sugar (about 1 week) into the ferment. With that said. My plans are to more it into a 2nd fermenter and wait 1 more week. Now my question is, there should be enough suspended yeast that I can bottle and get carb with priming sugar...right? Kind of like it now as something appears to mask the alcohol bite that my first 2 had. May even try it an an extract.
 
I think bottling anything with an SG of 1.054 would be asking for major ugly trouble. If you're bound to do it, find a place to put the bottles where shards of flying glass won't cause harm...

Cheers!
 
I know this is my first post here (and I will always have more questions than answers), but the timing of the sugar addition(s) (mentioned previously by NordeastBrewer77) really could be the problem...

One of the Beersmith Home Brewing podcasts discussed this - I just found them and have been listening to them everyday during my 2 hour commute this week, so they all sort of blend together, but I think it was one of the ones with Dr. Bamforth from U.C. Davis.

Basically, the yeast will consume maltose last and the maltase enzyme that breaks down maltose can be inhibited (or is not produced) when the yeast have a lot of sucrose and glucose to feast on.

Older yeast would only make this worse.

Hopefully it is just a bad hydrometer and you are actually close to your est. f.g.

Good luck,

-Schmutzie
 
Mcrow, like mentioned above, try a different hydrometer, the SG might actually be much lower than your current hydrometer states.. if not, well at least you'll have and extra hydrometer.

As far as depending on a refractometer to measure specific gravity on fermenting wort/beer there are mixed reviews. I don't know yet because I just recently, 3-4 batches ago, got one and haven't learned to trust it yet, (or maybe haven't learned how to use it yet in a alcohol environment even with software) many people swear by them and many people don't. Most everybody agrees they are great for measuring SG on pre-femented wort.

If you try a different hydro with the same results as the first, the yeast must have just got worn out, pitch some more. This is a super wild a$$ guess but worth a try. I would recommend using one of the yeast calculators like Yeast Calc or Mr Malty on the next high gravity beer adventure. :mug:
http://www.yeastcalc.com/index.html
http://http://www.mrmalty.com/
 
Mcrow, like mentioned above, try a different hydrometer, the SG might actually be much lower than your current hydrometer states.. if not, well at least you'll have and extra hydrometer.

right! i think those things break themselves!

As far as depending on a refractometer to measure specific gravity on fermenting wort/beer there are mixed reviews. I don't know yet because I just recently, 3-4 batches ago, got one and haven't learned to trust it yet, (or maybe haven't learned how to use it yet in a alcohol environment even with software) many people swear by them and many people don't. Most everybody agrees they are great for measuring SG on pre-femented wort.

i've heard there's some online calc's that'll do the corrections for alcohol content for you, but i use a hydro, so i haven't used any of them.

If you try a different hydro with the same results as the first, the yeast must have just got worn out, pitch some more. This is a super wild a$$ guess but worth a try. I would recommend using one of the yeast calculators like Yeast Calc or Mr Malty on the next high gravity beer adventure. :mug:
http://www.yeastcalc.com/index.html
http://http://www.mrmalty.com/

yeah, if it's not an issue with the hydro, i think it would be a yeast health issue. of the two pitch rate calc's you linked, i think MrMalty is the way to go, but that's MO. also, mcrowley, any time you use liquid, make sure you aerate really well, it's very important to the yeast's health. :mug:
 
I was pretty sure it was well aerated as I poured the wort in the carboy and there was a large head of. I blew, actually over flowed. I pour through a funnel and do it first with a pan then pour from the kettle. I presume I am aerating this way, maybe I need an aerating stone to be sure. It the gravity is indeed high, I am going to get a new batch of yeast.
 
also, mcrowley, any time you use liquid, make sure you aerate really well, it's very important to the yeast's health. :mug:

100% right on NB. Dry yeast are designed to be pitched as is, liquid are not, cell count is lower, aeration is key.

Dry yeast already have a high cell count and I might get blasted for saying this with no proof of backup, but aeration has already been forced into dry yeast and a starter is not recommended however re-hydrating them, eh also seems to be controversial. I better find a ref for this.

Check out Bobby_M youtube Dry yeast experiment.

I'll look for a ref
 
Thanks Dan...I can go dry yeast, I know white labs is liquid and wyeast smack pack I am unsure, but would say liquid. Who makes a good dry, and if I am truly at 1.5, should I try a wine or champagne yeast as my ABV may already be to high.
 
100% right on NB. Dry yeast are designed to be pitched as is, liquid are not, cell count is lower, aeration is key.

Dry yeast already have a high cell count and I might get blasted for saying this with no proof of backup, but aeration has already been forced into dry yeast and a starter is not recommended however re-hydrating them, eh also seems to be controversial. I better find a ref for this.

Check out Bobby_M youtube Dry yeast experiment.

I'll look for a ref

nice! :mug: i think the ball is still up in the air on that one and it's been a hotly debated topic when it comes up. i'll sit on the sidelines with you and wait for the refs to decide on that one.
that said, i still aerate by whipping up a froth with a wine whip when using dry. but with liquid i always use starters and and 10 or more mins with an airstone. gets that yeast goin' quick.
 
I replied before I saw the last page of posts. Looks like you've got this covered. I'll just slowly sidestep toward the door and we can all forget I was here.
 
Sardoman...I will take any suggestions. I have gotten a plethora of information. But if you have any other options or suggestions I am game. There is no need to just step away. :)
 
Sardoman...I will take any suggestions. I have gotten a plethora of information. But if you have any other options or suggestions I am game. There is no need to just step away. :)

:ban:
Well, you just told me that I had a plethora, and I would just like to know if you know what it means to have a plethora. I would not like to think that someone would tell someone else he has a plethora, and then find out that that person has no idea what it means to have a plethora.
 
I was pretty sure it was well aerated as I poured the wort in the carboy and there was a large head of. I blew, actually over flowed. I pour through a funnel and do it first with a pan then pour from the kettle. I presume I am aerating this way, maybe I need an aerating stone to be sure. It the gravity is indeed high, I am going to get a new batch of yeast.

Here's a dry yeast you could use:

http://www.fermentis.com/fo/pdf/HB/EN/Safbrew_S-33_HB.pdf

Still trying to find the reference to my foot in mouth "dry yeast don't need wort aeration" comment.
 
Here's a dry yeast you could use:

http://www.fermentis.com/fo/pdf/HB/EN/Safbrew_S-33_HB.pdf

Still trying to find the reference to my foot in mouth "dry yeast don't need wort aeration" comment.

nah, man, i'm guessing you were referring to what was said by one of the scientist at Lallemand (danstar) said about their dehydration process. apparently they're able to get the carbs, proteins and sterols into the cell walls during the dehydration. since yeast need oxygen to take on these substances from the wort during the lag phase, the theory it that yeast that have these compounds infused won't need as much oxygen. it's on the inter webs, Dan, i'm just too groggy to do anything other than post on HBT and drink coffee at the moment. it's an interesting read. it makes sense, i get it, but i'm not going to change my process until it's better proven. remember, both White Labs and Wy say things about their products (pitch rates, temps) that many brewers disregard on a daily basis because they know it's better to make a starter for any beer using liquid.

edit: a quick search on the topic found this page. it seems here that they're saying some o2 is needed, but it's dependent on strain.
 
New hydro and new reading. I got the new hydro, the reading is 1.020. Don't know if that is still low, but better that the 1.05 plus. I bought more yeast, dry this time. The local brew store sold me uneasy that is dated 9/11. If the reading is still high, should I go ahead and pitch the now old yeast?
 
New hydro and new reading. I got the new hydro, the reading is 1.020. Don't know if that is still low, but better that the 1.05 plus. I bought more yeast, dry this time. The local brew store sold me uneasy that is dated 9/11. If the reading is still high, should I go ahead and pitch the now old yeast?

i had a feeling your hydro was funny. glad to hear it's not up in the 1.05s.
if you're going to rep itch with that older liquid yeast, make a small starter and pitch it at high krausen, that way you'll know you have viable yeast and they'll be good and active going into the beer.
 

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