Delirium Tremens clone prolonged primary

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Nukesquad

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
79
Reaction score
1
Location
Norfolk, VA
Today marks 10 days in the primary. I check SG two days ago and it had already reached my FG estimation (1.017) but there was still a thick krausen present. From day 2-present there has been (and continues to be) vigorous activity, enough for me to switch out my 3-piece to a blowoff (on day 2). I plan to check SG again today to see if there are any changes. If SG maintains the same, do I continue to wait until krausen falls and CO2 production decreases? Or should I continue on with racking to secondary since there is no change in SG?
 
Go ahead and rack - if the SG is not changing, then the ferment is basially done, and what you are seeing is excess CO2 coming out of solution. Even if the SG is still changing a little, it's still OK to go to the secondary.
 
Go ahead and rack - if the SG is not changing, then the ferment is basially done, and what you are seeing is excess CO2 coming out of solution. Even if the SG is still changing a little, it's still OK to go to the secondary.

I disagree. If you still have krausen and your airlock is still firing, you still have active fermentation. I always wait until krausen falls and then I wait a few days after that. I seriously doubt that if you have that kind of activity it is done. Most of the Belgian strains are monsters and they will attenuate more fully if you let them. Just give it time.
 
Took a SG reading this morning and it's only down to 1.015, but still with a heavy krausen. I didn't notice a lot of activity within the blowoff, so I felt comfortable in switching back to the 3-piece. I checked it this afternoon and the activity has slowed down considerably. My plan is to take another SG reading tomorrow, and if it's still 1.015, then I'll rack to secondary on Wednesday. But, if fermentation has finished (at least within the primary) what else would cause that heavy krausen formation? I always took that (along with SG readings) as a sign of active fermentation.
 
Took a SG reading this morning and it's only down to 1.015, but still with a heavy krausen. I didn't notice a lot of activity within the blowoff, so I felt comfortable in switching back to the 3-piece. I checked it this afternoon and the activity has slowed down considerably. My plan is to take another SG reading tomorrow, and if it's still 1.015, then I'll rack to secondary on Wednesday. But, if fermentation has finished (at least within the primary) what else would cause that heavy krausen formation? I always took that (along with SG readings) as a sign of active fermentation.

You want your gravity to read the same over a three day period, not just from day to day. Also, what is your rush to get it into secondary? I would leave it in primary at least 5 more days. I would prefer to leave a beer that is still fermenting at that rate in for another week. Once the yeast is done fermenting, it does a lot of clean up and you're not giving it a chance to really finish. I just don't understand the rush.
 
You want your gravity to read the same over a three day period, not just from day to day. Also, what is your rush to get it into secondary? I would leave it in primary at least 5 more days. I would prefer to leave a beer that is still fermenting at that rate in for another week. Once the yeast is done fermenting, it does a lot of clean up and you're not giving it a chance to really finish. I just don't understand the rush.

+1. Yeast works on it's own schedule not yours. Beer is never as good when rushed. You are not doing yourself any favors by rushing.
 
Definitely no rush intended. It's definitely my plan in letting it do it's own thing on it's own schedule. However, I haven't had anything (outside of my high-gravity ciders) take longer than 10 days to level off in the primary, so I was curious on its progress. This is my first true Belgian-varietal, so I'm a little new to seeing this duration/intensity.
 
Definitely no rush intended. It's definitely my plan in letting it do it's own thing on it's own schedule. However, I haven't had anything (outside of my high-gravity ciders) take longer than 10 days to level off in the primary, so I was curious on its progress. This is my first true Belgian-varietal, so I'm a little new to seeing this duration/intensity.

What temp is it at? The Belgian yeast strains will take forever at anything below 70. Anything over, they can still take longer. I still say give it another week minimum in primary.
 
What temp is it at? The Belgian yeast strains will take forever at anything below 70. Anything over, they can still take longer. I still say give it another week minimum in primary.

Good to know. Unfortunately with our local fluctuating climate, I haven't been able to ferment in my house above 68-70. But it has been consistent within that temp. My recipe called for pitching 2 vials of WLP530, and I figured that I was still within the recommended fermentation range. But it is reassuring that the prolonged fermentation is typically normal with some beligians...since I have several that I want to pursue in the near future :)
 
I probabbly feel that yeasts work on the environment. It can never give desired amount of result in specific amount of time. Try being a lot more patient.
 
Took a look at it this morning, airlock bubbling every 18-20 seconds. I figured I'd give it another day or 2 before I take another SG reading, probably waiting another 5-7 days prior to racking. In general, when should you be concerned with autolysis from the primary sitting too long on the yeast cake? I've heard rack it immediately after it's done because autolysis happens right as the yeast drops off, and I've heard that autolysis shouldn't be a concern for several months, as if you're bulk aging using only primary. Just curious since I've heard conflicting info.
 
Back
Top