Airlock won't stop bubbling

[html034]

Hey I have a question:

I brewed a Saison friday 2/29, using Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison, OG 1.060. I followed Jamil Z's advice to start at 68 and ramp up slowly in the 80's. By thursday 3/6 I had it up to above 82.

On friday i took a gravity reading using a thief, and it read 1.020 (uncorrected). Throughout the week the airlock had shown slow but steady activtity.

Now after i took the second gravity reading I kept the temp above 82, and starting around saturday, sunday, the airlock activity really picked up, bubbling faster than i remember it having done thus far.

This rate of bubbling has continued through today, so today i just took a gravity reading. I didn't use the thief this time, i just but the hydrometer in the bucket, and it read 1.024 (uncorrected).

Now I also noticed that when i took the lid off of the bucket, on the surface of the liquid there were many small bubbles forming and releasing gas apparently.

Now i know that Wyeast 3724 is supposed to be slow attenuating, so i wasn't worried that it kept going this long, however, the gravity reading i got today threw me for a loop. I have read that putting the hydro directly in the fermenter can lead to falsely high readings due to the CO2 in solution, but still that doesn't explain why it won't stop bubbling.

Can anyone explain to me what is going on here? Do I need to take a hydro reading with the theif again? Do I need to adjust the temp? Any help would be appreciated

 

[maltMonkey]

I wouldn't take readings while it was actively fermenting because they will be off (as you noticed) and you risk contamination. The readings don't really help until it's done (or about done)....Warming up the yeast will always speed up fermentation and make the yeast more active, so I would just let it "do its thang" and take a reading when its done.

...just my 2cents...

 

[Bobby_M]

Leave it alone for at least another week. That's a relatively big beer and Belgian yeasts are known to chug along at a moderate rate for a long time. Take a reading after there is really no more bubbling in the airlock.

 

[html034]

Thanks for the advice, I have no problem waiting, I am not in a hurry, I was just concerned because I went from 1.060 to 1.020 in a week, and since my target is 1.008, the math suggests to me that it should be done, but then again fermentation probably isn't something that takes place on linear time scale, so i just was wondering what was happening.

I just wanted to bump the thread to see if anyone else had anything to add, specifically regarding this yeast, and the time frame I am looking at.

 

[EamusCatuli]

Yeah you gotta let it roll! I never open the bucket when its bubbling, yes your chances of contamination are less because of the fermentation thats occuring, but still. I would take this as a good thing if i were you!

 

[JonnyO]

I've got a question (noobie that I am). What would be the reason for ramping up the temp. during fermentation. It may be the brew type (Saison), but I thought... 1. Fermentation temp was best when as constant as possible...and 2. over about 72 degrees would be detrimental to the beer flavor, inviting other beasties to take hold. Just trying to absorb as much info as possible.

 

[PseudoChef]

I've got a question (noobie that I am). What would be the reason for ramping up the temp. during fermentation. It may be the brew type (Saison), but I thought... 1. Fermentation temp was best when as constant as possible...and 2. over about 72 degrees would be detrimental to the beer flavor, inviting other beasties to take hold. Just trying to absorb as much info as possible.

For this, it really is the type of beer being brewed. A Saison is dominated by lemon and spicy notes that benefit from raising the temperature of the yeast during the latter part of the fermentation. If the temperature begins too hot, then the yeast start off too stressed and will give off flavors such as high fusel alcohols, and unwanted phenols like bananas and bubblegum (I think, correct me if I'm wrong).

Another characteristic of Saison is that you want it super dry, like around 1.008 or so. Warming the yeast up during late stages of fermentation will help ensure that they won't go dormant and will continue to actively ferment all the sugars it can.

 

[JonnyO]

Ok, thanks for the info!

 

[rudager999]

I'm 7 weeks in on this White Labs Saison and it is still bubbling. There are little islands of bubbles on top and a few dime sized bubbles. The airlock is blowing one every several minutes. If I bottle now will I get bombs? Also, should I use this cake as a primary fermentation for a lambic that I plan on using with a secondary of Brettlamyaces Lambictus?

 

[tomwhit19]

Thanks for the advice, I have no problem waiting, I am not in a hurry, I was just concerned because I went from 1.060 to 1.020 in a week, and since my target is 1.008, the math suggests to me that it should be done, but then again fermentation probably isn't something that takes place on linear time scale, so i just was wondering what was happening.

I just wanted to bump the thread to see if anyone else had anything to add, specifically regarding this yeast, and the time frame I am looking at.

i did a saison back in march with the 3724 yeast it started out at 1.050 (estimated 1.052) and finished a month later at 1.010 (estimated 1.008) temp stayed steady at about 74-76 degrees, i was worried id have had to find a way to ramp the temp up on it but i guess i just got lucky with it, just let it go until you get readings coming out the same.

i did a lot of reading on that yeast before hand and a lot of what i read was contradictory to the previous thing i had read about it, some things said keep it in the 80s others said let it go itll be fine without temp control, others said they've had it work best with open lid fermentation rather than closed lid

 

[Brownalemikie]

i did a saison back in march with the 3724 yeast it started out at 1.050 (estimated 1.052) and finished a month later at 1.010 (estimated 1.008) temp stayed steady at about 74-76 degrees, i was worried id have had to find a way to ramp the temp up on it but i guess i just got lucky with it, just let it go until you get readings coming out the same.

i did a lot of reading on that yeast before hand and a lot of what i read was contradictory to the previous thing i had read about it, some things said keep it in the 80s others said let it go itll be fine without temp control, others said they've had it work best with open lid fermentation rather than closed lid

Tom, you do realize that this thread is 9 years old.....right?

 

[tomwhit19]

nope did not realize that