Gravity stable, airlock bubbling. Bottle?

[gannawdm]

OK. I'm on batch #36 and I haven't experienced this dilemma yet. I have a belgian wit that has been in the primary for 4 weeks. The gravity has been stable @ 1.004 for 2 weeks. The airlock bubbles every 30 seconds or so.

I also have an IPA that has been in the primary for 3 weeks. Gravity has been stable @ 1.014 for 2 weeks. The airlock is also bubbling every 30-60 seconds.

I have a Saison that has been in the primary for 4 weeks. The gravity has been stable @ 1.002 for 3 weeks. It's airlock is not bubbling at all.

I thought that maybe the airlock activity was due to evaporation from the warmer weather (beer temp @ about 74F), but the Saison isn't showing that activity. I've never bottled a batch while it was showing airlock activity, so I'm hesitant to do so now, but the gravity on both beers seems stable.

Have you ever bottled a bear that showed airlock activity?

 

[Reno_eNVy]

One thing you must understand: airlock activity is NOT a gauge for fermentation activity. The bubbling is due to CO2 escaping from solution in the warmer temperatures.

If the gravity hasn't moved in a couple weeks then you're absolutely fine.

 

[Nightbiker]

Dead-ON! Total agreement. Time to rack and bottle or keg -however you intend to package that golden elixer of life and happiness. OOOOoYEAH!
When the gravity holds steady -and espeically when it does so and is at or close to the expected FG, you're good to go!
Not all of the yeast farts make it out of solution as they are produced -some will seep out over time as the pressures equalize.

 

[gannawdm]

OK. After 30+ batches, I've never experienced the endless bubbling, so i thought I'd run it by others before bottling.

I'm just a little overly cautious after an overly carbed strong ale produced some bottle bombs. That brew started at 1.083 and then crapped out at 1.023 The gravity didn't move for 2 months. I primed with 3.13 oz. sugar (5 gal batch). A couple months later - kaboom, kaboom, kaboom. I'm guessing the priming sugar woke up the yeasties which proceeded to eat up what they left behind. Next time I'll try rousing the yeast and pitch some more if it doesn't move.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Ouch, that sucks. But 1.023 may have been slightly too high... but then you only primed with 3.13oz sugar so that may have compensated. I dunno, here are some theories as to what could have happened there:

- It could have just been too high of a gravity to bottle
- Infected bottles. Even just one would cause a chain reaction of kabooms!
- Rapid warming of storage area. If your bottles got warm quickly there's a chance that CO2 could be released into the headspace, causing kabooms
- The Beer Gods hate you

 

[Nightbiker]

-young son thought it would be neat to shake daddies' beers up a bit
Anyway, you state the current batch is at a very low gravity (1.004) -I'd have a very hard time believing it will have enough left to create a bomb.
OF course, I have a private bottling facility available that would be happy to take it off your hands (grin) and uhm, test it for you.
In any case, given your experience with overly-carbed bottles I can certainly understand your hesitation.