Pilsner fermenting for 2 weeks?

[JoshPerugini]

I brewed a pilsner two weeks ago, the Og was 1.052 and I used bohemian lager 2124 yeast. I put it in a temperature controlled fermentation for eight days at 52°. After those eight days I raise the temperature to 58° for about three days and then raise it again to about 64° for another 3 days. Every time I look at it they are lockers, almost empty and there are bubbles still coming out of the airlock and activity inside the fermenter. I feel like two weeks is so long and this is my first Pilsner. Any thoughts ideas or help would be appreciated thanks.

 

[Conehead]

That is not unusual. Mine bubbled away for 12 days one time and I thought it would never end. Yea, most of mine go for around 4-5 days and finish there. I usually let it go to at least 2 weeks total or even longer. Let it finish. Did you check the gravity? That will tell you where you are.

 

[JoshPerugini]

Not yet. There is still a pretty thick layer of krausen on the top, so I’m just gonna let it run for a little bit longer. thanks for the insight.

 

[hotbeer]

Hydrometer is the better way to tell if your beer is finished fermenting. Two samples that read the same 3 - 4 days apart is my recommendation. Some say 2 - 3 days apart.

If you wait till the beer is clear and everything dropped out of it, then you are likely well past the point it finished fermenting.

The bubbles you see in the airlock might be the headspace gas expanding as you warm up your beer or other stuff. However I have had a few batches that stopped and started fermenting over a long period of time.

 

[bellhp]

RDWHAHB
...and welcome.

 

[RM-MN]

As your beer ferments the yeast produce a huge amount of CO2 and while most of it is expelled through the airlock or leaks around the lid/stopper, there is a fair amount dissolve in the beer itself, more than the beer can hold long term. When the fermentation is over, this dissolved CO2 is still too much for the beer hold and it slowly comes out of suspension and makes bubbles in the airlock. The airlock bubbling serves two purposes, to let out excess CO2 and to provide bubbles to entertain the brewer. Don't use the bubbles or lack thereof to determine if the beer is done fermenting. Use a hydrometer for that.

 

[Basspaleale]

If you truly want to improve the flavor of your pilsner and you have the temp control abilities, ferment at 46 for 3 weeks. Then raise the temp to 52 over a 3 day span. At the end of the 4th week taste for diacetyl. If all is good, keg it, if you taste any diacetyl leave it for another week and taste again. If you pitched the right amount of yeast, then it'll be worth the wait.