Belgian White fermentation time

[ultrastevep]

Newbie here, but on my 4th batch....

I have brewed a porter, IPA and Stout with no issues, with the IPA coming out delicious beyond expectations. After reading the thread on no secondaries, I've been doing that, except for the first batch I did use a secondary.

On this more recent batch, a Belgian White (Blue Moonish), the initial fermentation had the top blow of my carboy twice before it settled down, a very active fermentation! 3 weeks into the fermentation (last weekend), it was still rolling with activity.

It's been sitting in the carboy now for 4 weeks and still seems active, with an occasional pop in the airlock and the floaters (Krausen?) still dropping down from the top of the beer. It's also very cloudy with stuff coated on the inside of the glass above the beer line from the initial overflow.

My questions is do I leave it alone until all of the floaters sink to the bottom? I was under the impression to leave it fermenting for 4 weeks, but maybe this particular type of beer takes longer?

Thanks...this forum is a huge help and I've been reading non stop.

 

[Shaneoco1981]

The only way to know for sure is to take gravity readings. If you have a steady gravity for 3 days in a row, then you are good to bottle. Now, in my experience, 3 weeks is PLENTY of time for fermentation to be done. You can have CO2 being released from the beer as krausen falls. It's not all that uncommon. If I were you, take a gravity reading and go from there. I use one of these:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/wine...-testing/accessories/fermtech-wine-thief.html

It makes taking samples for testing gravity, tasting, etc very easy. I use mine all the time. Just sanitize it, sanitize the top, remove bung, stick in, pull out, re sanitize bung and you have a perfect amount to take a gravity reading, taste, etc.

 

[ultrastevep]

Thanks, I'll take a gravity reading over the next few days and will decide whether I can bottle on Sunday.

 

[kmos]

What type of yeast are you using for this? I just bottled a Saison that needed every bit of 4 weeks in primary. Some yeasts just take forever to finish out. But I agree that the only way to know is to take gravity readings; until you are satisfied that the yeast have finished, just RDWHAHB

 

[ultrastevep]

I used a Wyeast Belgian Witbier 3944. This was what came in a kit from AHS, the AHS Belgian White Beer - extract.

Thanks going to take a reading this afternoon then tomorrow and Sunday morning. If it remains the sameI'm bottling late Sunday afternoon.

 

[mr_bell]

I've had the same experience with Belgian wits and that yeast--Ive made 3 batches with it. Like the energizer bunny, it seems to keep going, and going...

My last batch of wit brewed on 8-21-11 and bottled on 9-24-11, from 1.048 to 1.010. with Wyeast 3944. It was still cloudy, as expected w/ a witbier.

 

[ultrastevep]

Thanks, that's a huge help knowing not to worry about the cloudiness. I'll take several reading over the next few days and wait if I have to....as I look at it the airlock just moved