Riddle me this... yet another fermentation question

[GreenDragon]

My wheat beer has been in the fermentor for 1 week as of yesterday. I took a FG reading last night to see if I can pull it this weekend or not. When I walked into the spare bedroom the damn airlock is still bubbling! Like once every 4-5 seconds type bubbling.

I know airlock activity isn't the only sign of fermentation though so I took my reading. 1.015, OG was 1.058 so it's coming along nicely, pretty damn tasty for a warm wheat beer. My worry is that if it's still at 1.015 on Saturday is it safe to bottle it with the airlock activity like that? I don't want bottles blowing up all over my computer room! It also had a abnormally large amount of head for a non-primed beer.

It could be that it's just not done yet, I'll find out when I pull my 2nd reading on Saturday, but I can't see it going much below 1.014 which is where the recipe said it should end up.

I did aerate the crap out of it, about 40 mins on the pump right after I pitched. So there is a chance it could just be air escaping but will that cause me to possibly get bottle bombs?

I'm pretty sure it's not infected, tasted too good to be infected (lol how's that for science??).

I thought wheat beers were supposed to be quick fermenting and quick conditioners?

 

[brewit2it]

My wheat beer has been in the fermentor for 1 week as of yesterday. I took a FG reading last night to see if I can pull it this weekend or not. When I walked into the spare bedroom the damn airlock is still bubbling! Like once every 4-5 seconds type bubbling.

I know airlock activity isn't the only sign of fermentation though so I took my reading. 1.015, OG was 1.058 so it's coming along nicely, pretty damn tasty for a warm wheat beer. My worry is that if it's still at 1.015 on Saturday is it safe to bottle it with the airlock activity like that? I don't want bottles blowing up all over my computer room! It also had a abnormally large amount of head for a non-primed beer.

It could be that it's just not done yet, I'll find out when I pull my 2nd reading on Saturday, but I can't see it going much below 1.014 which is where the recipe said it should end up.

I did aerate the crap out of it, about 40 mins on the pump right after I pitched. So there is a chance it could just be air escaping but will that cause me to possibly get bottle bombs?

I'm pretty sure it's not infected, tasted too good to be infected (lol how's that for science??).

I thought wheat beers were supposed to be quick fermenting and quick conditioners?

It's only been in the fermentor for one week and it's still bubbling. Answer seems pretty obvious. I don't put a lot of stock in what the recipe says the FG will be. Let it ride another week (at least).

 

[PijanyPole]

Quick conditioning yes, as opposed to other styles. I let mine go for 2 weeks primary, another two in bottle. I would let it sit for another week. *Throws 2 cents into pot*

 

[unionrdr]

Could be all that aeration made the yeast a little too healthy? Especially if you used a starter,imo. Mine took 3 weeks to get done this last time. I wouldn't think it had too much more to go.

 

[Kaz]

I second (or third) the let it go another week, I would say let it go another 2 weeks, maybe 3 for a total of 4 weeks in primary. I've adopted a plan that once I put the wort into the primary, I watch it until I see fermentation has started, and then I don't really pay it any attention for 3 weeks (other than to monitor temperature). At 3 weeks I'll take a gravity sample, taste it and then keg/bottle it in the 4th week sometime if its done and tasty.

 

[Flywheel]

After 3 days of steady SG readings, you are ready to bottle.

EDIT: well, not always ready to bottle, but fermentation is done. Ferm being done a ready to bottle are different.

 

[RM-MN]

Did you get right into the fermenter and ask the yeast what their schedule was? You see, we like to get things done on a schedule but our schedule may not be the same as the yeast's schedule. When they say the ferment is done, it's done. Not before just because your schedule said it should be. Ignore this batch another week or even two and then use your hydrometer to ask the yeast if they are done.