Bubbles on a second test sample?

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shadows69

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OK I am still a newbie so I thought I would ask this question. I took my second test sample of my Milk Stout kit made from Brewers Best. I have hit the recommended FG 1.021. This will be in the primary 4 weeks as of Saturday. This has taken along time to hit the FG of 1.021 maybe bad Notty yest I think as I had to re-pitch some Notty yeast. My question is when I take a test sample there is still bubbles in it CO2 I am assuming. If I shake the test sample with my hand over it I gets a head on it just like it was carbed up. Do you think I will be OK bottling this come Saturday as long as the FG is still the same? I am also doing a Oatmeal Milk Stout (AG) witch will be 3 weeks old on Saturday and also has the same tiny little bubbles in it raising from the bottom to the top which has also hit it's FG of 1.012. I know the Milk Stout seems high for the FG but that is what the recipe says for the FG to be. I did a IPS from brewer's best which was my first time making beer about 2 months or so ago but just followed the instructions with doing a secondary (lucky) or I would of bottled in 10 days instead I waited 3 weeks. It is very hoppy but not to bad. I also have an Belgian Abbey Ale I just did on Thursday. I guess I am hooked. :) If someone could answer the bubbles mystery for me so i know I headed in the right direction or if I still need to wait. Also my fermenting temps are right around 68 F. Thank you.
 
Is it bubbling like a freshly-opened beer? Or are there bubbles like when you aggressively pour water from the tap (i.e. just a little, no specific origin)?

Me thinks you just have a little CO2 from the fermentation and shouldn't be concerned about it. That "head" you see can just be the small amount of CO2 that is dissolved in the beer.
 
Its all good. Everything you're describing is perfectly normal. The beer will have a little bit of carbonation before bottling. This is from the CO2 that the yeast produce. As for the FG's......I wouldn't go too crazy watching that like a hawk. Recommended FG's are just a guideline. A couple points either way is fine. Plus, you don't want the beer sitting on the trub too long or you risk off flavors. However, generally speaking, the darker the beer and or higher the gravity the longer you should let it age before bottling. But you would age this beer in a secondary fermenter not in the primary. Just leave the beer alone until time to bottle unless there is something crazy going on like a sudden halt in fermentation during primary. The more times you check your gravity.....the greater the chance of contamination. I would just let it go until bottling time and then check the gravity. However, if you absolutely must, go ahead and check the gravity before bottling and add more yeast if you feel you need to to bring down the gravity.

When checking the gravity, it is a good idea to shake it up and get all the corbonation out. The head can be dealt with. I take a paper towel and tear it into small peices and soak up the head. You just don't want bubbles sticking to your hydrometer because that will throw off the reading.

As for the bubbles comming up from the bottom.....those are normal too and that is the CO2 being produced by yeast at the bottom of the fermenter.

Hope this helps.....if you have anymore specific questions let me know
 
It is bubbling like a freshly-opened beer. Thanks for all the input. I'm a wine maker for years and it seems everything is different from wine making. I think you guys answered my questions. So I am assuming the same holds true as far as the primary goes to not let it sit on there to long. The only reason I let the Milk Stout in the primary so long is because the FG was not coming down, however the Milk Oatmeal Stout is in a secondary. I shouldbe good to bottle on Saturday.
 
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