Krausen fell, airlock still bubbling

[Cajunbrewer87]

This is my second batch, caribou slobber from NB but I used wlp002 english ale yeast. I made a starter and fermentation kicked off in 4 hours, it was very vigorous and the airlock was bubbling like crazy. After about 48 hours the bubbling slowed down. Its been about 8 days since that happened and I'm still getting about 2 bubbles per minute through the airlock. The krausen fell and left the ring behind on my fermenter. Is it normal to still be getting bubbles with such a high flocculating yeast?

 

[Yooper]

This is my second batch, caribou slobber from NB but I used wlp002 english ale yeast. I made a starter and fermentation kicked off in 4 hours, it was very vigorous and the airlock was bubbling like crazy. After about 48 hours the bubbling slowed down. Its been about 8 days since that happened and I'm still getting about 2 bubbles per minute through the airlock. The krausen fell and left the ring behind on my fermenter. Is it normal to still be getting bubbles with such a high flocculating yeast?

It could be that you're getting a bit warmer temperatures in your area, or the barometric pressure is rising, and the c02 is still off gassing. If the SG readings are the same, it's done. It's probably been done for the last 8 days.

 

[andrewmaixner]

Don't worry. I've still got slow off-gassing on some batches at 3+ weeks. Realized I was out of airlocks (had one break) when pitching a new batch, so I grabbed one from a belgian IPA (t-58) and loosely replaced it with a bung with no hole, figuring there couldn't be much activity going on still. 2 days later the bung popped out, reminding me to buy more airlocks.

And as mentioned, temperature changes can 1) trigger yeast activity and 2) release C02 because of decreased solubility.

 

[Cajunbrewer87]

Thanks for the quick replies. I did increase my temperature from 67 to 69 but that was after the first 48 hours after vigorous fermentation was over. It is getting slower and slower as days go by so hopefully its just off gassing as you said. Regardless I will wait til the 3 week mark to bottle

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for the quick replies. I did increase my temperature from 67 to 69 but that was after the first 48 hours after vigorous fermentation was over. It is getting slower and slower as days go by so hopefully its just off gassing asnyou said. Regardless I will wait til the 3 week mark to bottle

You can wait to bottle, but three weeks is a long time at least as far as I am concerned. I generally bottle at about day 14-17 for most beers. If you like the taste of a beer that sits longer in the fermenter, though, that's fine!

 

[unionrdr]

Since it's been a total of about 10 days, I'd take a first FG sample. it could be done or real close to it.

 

[Cajunbrewer87]

To be honest I really dont know the difference in taste since this is only my second batch. Ive just heard a lot of people say they wait 3-4 weeks, whats different about a beer that was in primary for 2 weeks as opposed to 3 or 4 weeks?

 

[andrewmaixner]

To be honest I really dont know the difference in taste since this is only my second batch. Ive just heard a lot of people say they wait 3-4 weeks, whats different about a beer that was in primary for 2 weeks as opposed to 3 or 4 weeks?

Some beers, especially if you don't have really good temperature control, may take longer for the yeast to "clean up" various undesired flavors, improving the taste overall. If might taste good at 2-3 weeks, but it can usually get even better at 5 weeks.
You will often hear people say that thier kegs run out just as they are "getting really good"

Just as a wild-ass example, it could be viewed as a simple linear equation similar to this:
(optimal time till serving) >= 14 + (%ABV)*(4) days
so at 5%ABV let it wait for 25 days, but at 8%ABV wait 50 days.
Those numbers are purely an example, and really high ABV requires even longer.

 

[unionrdr]

Or it could take 3 weeks or so to finish fermenting before the yeast go after their own by-products to clean up.