Question in Fermenting...Bubbling past final gravity?

[BaySideBrewing]

NOTE NOOB HERE:

So I have had a basic wheat beer in the primary for two weeks and the beer is to it's final gravity but the air lock is still bubbling quite a bit? Is that normal or should it stop? I was going to bottle tomorrow, but didn't want to so that if the beer wasn't done? But yet I figure it won't mess it up, or would it?

Help needed. Thanks!

 

[BierMuncher]

NOTE NOOB HERE:

So I have had a basic wheat beer in the primary for two weeks and the beer is to it's final gravity but the air lock is still bubbling quite a bit? Is that normal or should it stop? I was going to bottle tomorrow, but didn't want to so that if the beer wasn't done? But yet I figure it won't mess it up, or would it?

Help needed. Thanks!

Don't bottle any beer that still shows signs of fermenting.

Take a gravity reading. Final gravity is not what the instructions say, it's where the beer actually ends up.

Once your hydrometer reading is static three days in a row...give your beer another 2-3 days fior good measure (and better beer) and then rack to a bottling bucket.

 

[Yooper]

I have a couple of thoughts here. One is that it may not be done. Even if it's at its expected FG, it may drop another point or two, or more. Usually you can predict the approximate FG, but not always exactly. Yeast is a living organism and the best you can expect is a possible range of FGs. Most people suggest taking several hydrometer readings, over three days. If it hasn't moved in three days, and it's in the expected range, it's most likely finished.

If you've had the same FG for several days, then it may be bubbling just because. Usually a temperature change, or even barometric pressure changes, can cause bubbling in the airlock due to the co2 coming out of the beer. That's why bubbling isn't a reliable sign of fermentation- it may or may not bubble at any given time.

My advice would be to make sure the gravity isn't changing by taking the SG again tomorrow. If it's still the same as two previous readings, then it's safe to bottle.

Edit- my advice is to listen to the person who types the quickest! BM beat me by a minute!

 

[BaySideBrewing]

Thanks guys! I thought it was ok, just wanted to make sure...

 

[fretsforlife]

NOTE NOOB HERE:
But yet I figure it won't mess it up, or would it?

Help needed. Thanks!

You need to be careful here... I'm only a few batches into my brew career so im no pro, but if you bottle while its still fermenting, you risk making bottle bombs. You might wanna take a gravity reading now, wait 2-3 days and take another one. If they're the same, then I'd bottle.. if not, repeat the process until you get similar readings day after day.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks guys! I thought it was ok, just wanted to make sure...

You're welcome.

PS- I'm not a guy!

 

[BaySideBrewing]

Sorry, Thanks guys and girls...LOL!

 

[Beau815]

I kinda have the same thing goin on. Mine was OG 1.070 supposed to stop at 1.019 and its down to 1.016 I dont want to take the top off every day for three days because i dont want to let out that cushion of c02. So i drew some from the tap on the bucket, I also dont want to keep doing that. Does taking the top off when its done fermenting make it impossible to keep c02 on top? Wont it be covered with o2? Im confused.

 

[TeufelBrew]

Beau you can't lose the co2 because it's heavier the the air (O2 mixture) and will sink to the surface of your beer. Sampling with SANITIZED equipment wont be problem at all. With the ETOH in there now, most bugs and critters wont' be able to survive. You can take your sample from the spigot if it has one, or take the top off, use a wine thief (or large bulb baster) to take out your sample.

Remember, RDWHAHB. Read some Palmer or Papazian and give the yeast time to do their beautiful magic.

 

[Casey27]

I am interested in this idea of CO2 being released after fermentation is completed. I have a Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Jamil's recipe with WLP 530) in primary. After two weeks at 65-66 degrees I raised it slowly to 74-75 where it has now been for a week and a half (shook it to rouse the yeast a few days ago). For this entire time (almost 4 weeks now) the blow-off tube has been steadily bubbling. Of course it was a lot faster early on. It is now at one bubble about every 5 seconds.
OG was 1.090
gravity after a few days at 74 was 1.030.
gravity after 8 more days at 74 is 1.028 - tasted a little bit sweeter than expected but good mouthfeel.

So, I am wondering where all that CO2 is coming from, if not from a slow-paced fermentation. The fermenter is well insulated and there is little temperature flux.

Also, I have never had such a prolonged fermentation. I used a big starter, but also did a stovetop mini-mash with 5.5 lbs of grain mashed at 155. Maybe there are a lot of non-fermentables in it because of that... I plan to just wait until the bubbling stops, check gravity again, and call it good.
Hope this is not too far off topic, but I have seen little discussion of post-fermentation CO2 release and I am wondering if this batch is an example of that or just a long slow fermentation.