I am making my first beer and I'm wondering if this is normal. I am making an all grain honey apricot ale. It fermented for 1 week then I racked it onto my apricot purée, which I put in a mesh bag to try to keep the cloudiness out. It then fermented for another 2 1/2 weeks and was still bubbling. I was getting worried if the mesh was holding the fruit to tight so I racked it off of the fruit. It has been fermenting in the new carboy for 1 1/2 weeks and is still bubbling. So in total it has been fermenting for 4 weeks. I went to check it with the hydrometer but realized it is broke but I can't get a new one until this weekend. Is my beer ok? It is bubbling about once every minute. Can I bottle? Or should I wait?
Fermentation help!!! Been fermenting for 4 weeks
- Thread starter Huntervdg
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flars
Well-Known Member
Wait until you get the new hydrometer. SG readings will be the only way to tell what is going on. The yeast could be working on the sugars in the fruit for a while. This also means you racked enough yeast to the secondary to finish the fermentation instead of stalling the fermentation.
The bubbling could also just be off gassing due to temp changes. Taking a gravity reading is the only way to know if fermentation is still active.
What was your hydrometer reading? Was it close to what was expected? If so you're probably ready to bottle. If you want to be sure it's fine give it a few days in between readings.
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Fermentation takes as long as it takes - no rushing the yeast and there is no harm in letting it sit, so in the famous words of Papa Charlie - relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.
The advice above about taking a hydrometer reading now and then three days later is spot on. Fruit fermentations can take a while, I personally wouldn't be worried about it.
And you do not want to bottle too early. Your bottles will explode (from the fermentation continuing in the bottle) and you will be scared/hurt/never brew again. Patience is the word of the day.
The advice above about taking a hydrometer reading now and then three days later is spot on. Fruit fermentations can take a while, I personally wouldn't be worried about it.
And you do not want to bottle too early. Your bottles will explode (from the fermentation continuing in the bottle) and you will be scared/hurt/never brew again. Patience is the word of the day.
flars
Well-Known Member
Three days apart for safety. You want to make sure fermentation is done. Fermentations that finish in the bottle are whole new set of problems.
BarleyStanding
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I make a pineapple Hef where I put the beer into secondary and siphon off a small amount of yeast with it, throw in the pineapple, and get a secondary ferment off the fruit. I think this is pretty normal for the fruit beers. The whole fermentation is about a month.
As others have said, wait until you hit your FG, if you're uncertain, take another reading 3 days later to confirm.
As others have said, wait until you hit your FG, if you're uncertain, take another reading 3 days later to confirm.
The prediction of the final gravity has no bearing on whether the fermentation is complete. That's for when you are formulating your recipe, but after you brew, the yeast don't give a damn about your fg prediction.
As stated above, fruit beers take longer to ferment. I would not be concerned about four weeks. When visible signs of fermentation cease (such as airlock activity), take hydrometer readings every few days. When the gravity is stable for 3 or 5 days, then you are safe to bottle.
As stated above, fruit beers take longer to ferment. I would not be concerned about four weeks. When visible signs of fermentation cease (such as airlock activity), take hydrometer readings every few days. When the gravity is stable for 3 or 5 days, then you are safe to bottle.
flars
Well-Known Member
FG in a recipe is just an estimate. There are to many variables in brewing for a recipe to have the exact FG. One of the variables is when fruit is added. Think making wine. Sugar content of the grapes vary by year and by the season.
You will have reached FG when the SG readings don't change.
