SLOW airlock activity

[JeffBham]

I brewed an American Amber 3 weeks ago. After I pitched the yeast fermentation took off (dirty airlock etc) inside my temp controlled fridge. At the 6 day mark I brewed again and thought that the primary fermentation was finished (I couldn't tell 100% as the carboy was so funky with the dried foam on the inside but the airlock seemed to have stopped). Once I transferred to the secondary, fermentation kicked back up. So it has been 2 weeks since the transfer into the secondary and the active fermentation in the secondary only lasted about 2-3 days but the airlock continues to bubble. I started timing it a few days ago and and the time between bubbles increases by about 5 seconds a day (today it is 35 seconds between bubbles, yesterday 30, day before 25 seconds etc). I have never had one take anywhere near this long and usually it goes from active to still in about a day or so. My original gravity was 1.076 and I used the dry Safale American Ale Yeast.

Is there anything wrong? Should I be worried? Any insight is appreciated!

 

[Special Hops]

Yes send the batch to me for proper disposal.


Seriously though. Yeast are living organisms and do their own thing. Take a gravity reading and see where you are at. That is the only sure way to confirm if fermentation is complete.

 

[JakeFegely]

As Special Hops said yeast do their own thing in their own time. I've got a stout fermenting that took off great then slowed and bubbled slowly (about every 2-3 minutes) for 3 more weeks. Never had a fermentation do that - but they are all different.
It sounds like you are relying on airlock activity to know what's going on. That can give you an idea, but it can also be mis-leading. A hydrometer is much more definite and a very valuable $20 investment.

 

[dcp27]

bubbling doesnt mean you have active fermentation. many things, such as the change in temp, can cause CO2 to be released. unless you caught an infection, theres no way its still fermenting. feel free to bottle it up whenever you're ready

 

[JeffBham]

Thanks y'all for the help/insight!