Pumpkin ale. Still very actively fermenting?

[boxboybrewing]

I started fermentation on a Pumpkin ale on Oct. 29th. Using US05, I can of pumpkin, and 1 cup of brown sugar as the only adjuncts to 2 row malt. Usually, with US05, my airlock stops bubbling within 48 hours and fermentation usually completes within 7 to 10 days (checked by hydrometer). I'm still getting bubbles in the airlock 19 days later. I didnt think pumpkin had that much fermentable sugar. Anyone else have an experience like this? I'm willing to be patient but I REALLY want this batch carbed by Thanksgiving.

 

[RM-MN]

You're apparently confusing bubbling with fermenting. Airlocks are to keep bugs out of the beer and to entertain brewers with the bubbles. You can buy a cheap bubble pipe to be entertained with. The hydrometer is the only tool to be used to decide if fermentation is ongoing or complete. Typically an ale will have completed fermentation within about 5 days including cleanup. After that the airlock only bubbles because of the excess CO2 dissolved in the beer or from a temperature change or atmospheric pressure change. Pull a hydrometer sample to see what stage the beer is in.

Here's a short article about the life cycle of the yeast that describes how the fermentation progresses.

http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html