Belgian Golden Ale

[C.N. Brewer]

So, I pitched the yeast for this Belgian Golden Ale recipe on 03/30, switched it to a second fermentation chamber on 04/08. Fermentation started on 04/01, and it’s still fermenting. It’s been in active fermentation for 15 days. Is that normal? For all my other batches of beer fermentation has lasted 6 days, but now I’m at 15 and it’s still going. My OG was 1.074. In the recipe it did call for 1 pound of sugar if that matters at all. Is 15 days normal for a beer with sugar added?

 

[C.N. Brewer]

Picture is awful, but it’s still bubbling!

 

[C.N. Brewer]

Also, would bottling it in this late stage of fermentation when it’s about done be a bad thing to do? Will it cause any problems in the bottle?

 

[Lefou]

With higher gravity beers it's a general rule to expect a longer fermentation time, but that's dependent on the yeast vigor and temperature. It also depends on how fermentable your wort is ...
I typically allow two to three weeks for fermentation for my beers, but it depends on style. Your golden ale should be gravity checked with refractometer or hydrometer to see if it's attenuated well enough to consider bottle carbing.

 

[C.N. Brewer]

With higher gravity beers it's a general rule to expect a longer fermentation time, but that's dependent on the yeast vigor and temperature. It also depends on how fermentable your wort is ...
I typically allow two to three weeks for fermentation for my beers, but it depends on style. Your golden ale should be gravity checked with refractometer or hydrometer to see if it's attenuated well enough to consider bottle carbing.

Thank you, I had no idea! I figured all fermentation was about 4-7 days. I knew higher gravity would make a difference, but not this big of a difference. Thanks again!

 

[Lefou]

Gravity range for the style is 1.005 - 1.016.
Your yeast's attenuation level should be taken into consideration, too.
Which yeast did you use? It makes a difference as yeasts in general, especially Belgians, can attenuate somewhat beyond the stated level and yield a higher ABV, especially when extra sugar is added.

 

[Lefou]

I started a Kolsch ale on March 23.
It had a gravity of about 1.044 and I left it to ferment until 14 April - just over three weeks. It ended up giving me a 90% attenuation level and a nicely "dry" beer. Yeast strain and temperature are guiding factors, and yes, fermentation still takes place in the bottle while carbing, so you have to account for that.

 

[ncbrewer]

Also, would bottling it in this late stage of fermentation when it’s about done be a bad thing to do? Will it cause any problems in the bottle?

Don't bottle while it's still fermenting - you could get bottle bombs. It should be completely finished.