FG reached...still bubbling

[norcal_nerd]

14 days in primary. Wasn't planning on a secondary fermentation.

FG reached on an American Pale Ale (1.014) but I'm still seeing a bubble every 45 seconds or so.

Bottle? Give it a few more days?

 

[histo320]

What was the recipe and what temperature are you fermenting at?

Regardless, I would give it a couple more weeks.

DO NOT BOTTLE. You will have bottle bombs

 

[norcal_nerd]

fermentation for first 12 days was 64-67. Heat wave for two days brought it to 70. Recipe stated 1.014 FG.

A couple more weeks? Was planning on checking gravity for a few days in a row to see if gravity holds, but gravity shouldn't hold if fermentation is still occurring, no?

 

[cowstick]

Dont touch it wait till the bubbles stop then start taking readings.

 

[Shawn Hargreaves]

If in doubt, wait. It can't hurt, and might help, so what do you have to lose?

 

[norcal_nerd]

nothing to lose, i bought another carboy for this weekend's brew. Just wondered if two weeks was enough...

 

[Flattop]

Usualy 2 weeks is plenty but another week wont damage it at all

 

[Yooper]

If it's done, it's done. The co2 bubbling is just that- bubbles coming out of solution. If the FG is the same in a day or so, go ahead and bottle it!

 

[Homercidal]

Well, I hate to disagree with our venerable Yooperbrew, but IMHO I'd wait another week or two. Because, as Shawn has already stated, it won't hurt to wait and make sure the fermentation is complete, and it will possibly help the beer taste better. 4 weeks in the primary is not going to hurt it.

The best indicator is to measure, then wait 3 days and measure again. If there is no change, then you are safe from bottle bombs (although if your FG is where you say it is, I don't think you need to worry about bottle bombs anyway.)

 

[bull8042]

The bubbles really mean nothing in this case. If you check the gravity and there is no change, fermentation is done.....period.
However, leaving the beer on the cake for 3 or 4 weeks will only serve to improve the quality of it. Don't be in too big of a rush, especially now that you have another fermenter.

 

[norcal_nerd]

Thanks folks. I'm patient.

 

[Orfy]

How do you know it's the FG?

It's only the FG if it's fermented out.

 

[TheFlatline]

Your hydrometer is your friend. If your beer is warming up in temperature, which you said it has, then CO2 will be coming out of the solution slowly and you'll have bubbles.

Take a measurement in a few days and see if it's changed. I doubt, after 2 weeks, that it has any fermentation left to do.

Airlock activity is fun to watch, but it's not really a good indicator of beer status.

 

[Yooper]

Well, I hate to disagree with our venerable Yooperbrew, but IMHO I'd wait another week or two. Because, as Shawn has already stated, it won't hurt to wait and make sure the fermentation is complete, and it will possibly help the beer taste better. 4 weeks in the primary is not going to hurt it.

The best indicator is to measure, then wait 3 days and measure again. If there is no change, then you are safe from bottle bombs (although if your FG is where you say it is, I don't think you need to worry about bottle bombs anyway.)

You're not really disagreeing with me. If it's done, it's done. It's been in the fermenter two weeks, and another SG reading should be done. If it's still 1.014, then it's done. It can be bottled. Or it can wait. But there isn't any danger of bottle bombs at all, if it's done. That's what concerned me- a post or two saying that bottling now would be risking bottle bombs. That's not true.

Two weeks in primary is ok. Longer may give clearer beer, and a bit of aging is good. But if the FG is still 1.014, and it's done, no harm will come if it's bottled now.