Loooooong ferm

[loxnar]

So I made a wit on June 22nd which was 17 days ago...came out to a 1.051 wit. I used a 1.5L starter with some belgian ale yeast and when i threw the starter in i didnt put the flask in the fridge overnight like i usually do to settle the yeast out i just pitched the whole starter straight in. The airlock started bubbling on day 2 and normally i rack to a keg on day 14, however this batch the airlock was still going quite consistently so i decided to let it go to the weekend. I went to take a gravity reading out of it right now and on day 17 it still has a huge layer of krausen on top it really looks like its still in the most active process of fermentation.....so my question is why? ive never had a batch stay this active for this long....ive fermented this between 65-70 degrees like all my other batches and the fermenting just keeps going! should i rack to a secondary? should i just put it in my corny keg? im under the impression that the krausen needs to settle before i do any of this...grain bill is as follows

5.75lb White Wheat
4.00lb Pilsener 2-row
.5oz willamette 60 min
.5oz amarillo 20 min
.5oz willamette 5 min
.5 oz coriander 5 min
.5 oz bitter orange 5 min
.75oz sweet orange 5 min

mash in 153 45 mins
mash out 168 15 mins
1 hour fly sparge @ 168

 

[loxnar]

update: SG reading tells me whats up...definently still plenty of sugar to ferment im at a 1.021 and according to beersmith my FG should be around 1.005

so i know there is plenty of sugar left to ferment which tells me why its still fermenting lol i guess my question becomes with such a violent fermentation (HAD to use blow off tube) and such a long period of active fermentation why is there still so much sugar left to ferment? yeast seems to be taking its sweet ass time

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

For many Belgian beers it is often the case that the yeast is allowed to reach fermentation temperatures of 80+ degrees.

So, not knowing the yeast strain it may be possible that you are effectively lager fermenting your Belgian ale strain.

 

[loxnar]

For many Belgian beers it is often the case that the yeast is allowed to reach fermentation temperatures of 80+ degrees.

So, not knowing the yeast strain it may be possible that you are effectively lager fermenting your Belgian ale strain.

its White Labs Belgian Ale...its definently got time to go

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Well it definitely has room to eat but 17 days is longer than many high gravity lager fermentations. and this beer was not that big.

My intiial reactionary advice is to confirm the accuracy of whatever you are using to guage fermentation temperatures.

 

[loxnar]

day 20 still has krausen on top of it....still looks like a foamy latte lol. gravity is 1.019 checked with 3 hydrometers =)

im thinking at day 21 i should rack into secondary....although i have been told you can leave in primary for up to 4 weeks with no adverse affects. Any feedback?

 

[Ti28]

I'd say let it sit for a while yet. Another week or two won't hurt anything.

 

[loxnar]

I'd say let it sit for a while yet. Another week or two won't hurt anything.

this beer better be amazing i can only control two fermenters at once lol
been taking up valuable beer brewing time