3 weeks, still bubbling, same gravity over 4 days.

[machinist09]

I've got my 3rd ever batch on right now. It is a Red Ale; fairly simple malt extract kit. On Apirl 24th, I got it started in the primary(for some reason, my airlocks never bubble much during primary, although i've tried different styles; it just appears like the water in the airlock becomes carbonated[bubbles sticking to the inside] - anyone have an explanation?), O.G. 1.040. On April 30th, I racked everything over into my glass secondary. May 8th and 12th I check the gravity, both days at 1.010. I am still getting bubbles from my airlock every ~2.5 minutes, and I can watch a lot of bubbles float to the top of the brew. Not sure if I can go ahead and bottle this, or if I should wait another week. The plan was to bottle today, but I want to make sure to get a good product, and not blow up any bottles. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Edit: OK, I just went and re-timed my bubbles, and they've accelerated. Less than 1 minutes now. I'm thinking the fermentation stalled, and has picked up again.

 

[eddie]

If you're FG hasn't changed for several day's you're safe to bottle of keg. The bubbles you see are actually dissolved gas in the liquid coming out in reaction to a change in temperature and/or pressure (see what I did there? I used "and/or." That means I gots the smarts.) The airlock is not a device by which fermentation is measured. Trust your hydrometer; it will not lie to you provided you are testing the beer at the proper temp. If you aren't comfortable bottling at the moment, don't. Let it go another week and bottle then. I'd say it's good to bottle now, though.

 

[machinist09]

I am testing at 20*C all the time. I keep the beer in a closet adjacent to a room in which I keep a space heater at 20* with all other heater vents closed off. The room typically does not get warmer than that.

I didn't realize that the CO2 would dissolve into the brew in the absence of pressure containment. I figured an airlock would be a somewhat reliable check.

Thanks for the answer. I guess I'm off to bottle.