Still fermenting strong after a week....

[Tophe]

Im brewing a belgian wit, I brewed it last sunday, 2/27. I got bubbling action with in10-12 hours. After a week I still have approx. 1 bubble every 10 seconds, and like 3 inches of foam on top of it. I just have never had one ferment this long, Im thinking this is fine and nothing to worry about , am I correct? Im hoping it will slow down soon so I can rack to secondary.

 

[D-brewmeister]

What was your O.G? If it was a fairly high gravity beer, it could take a while. Also, look at your fermentation temp, lower usually results in slower ferment. Both of these things would be a good thing, I would say, resulting in a higher alcohol levels, and cleaner taste respectively.

 

[Tophe]

Sweet.....I forgot to take an OG reading, but the recipe I used says it is predicted to be 1.047-1.052. Ferment temp is ~ 66-69 deg F. Ive just never had one ferment this long. Before this the longest i had was like 2 -3 days. It is looking good though....Id show ya a pic if my g/f would get the digi from her mom.

 

[Janx]

Did you use Wit yeast? Different yeasts can take very different amounts of time.

Either way, it aint done, so you're waiting until it is. Cheers!

 

[Tophe]

Yea, I used Belgian Wit Ale Yeast.......Im waiting..... It actually seems pretty cool that its fermenting like this, and its the first one ive done in the carboy instead of the bucket. I'd want to open the bucket and see what was goin on in there. It slowed down a little today. about a bubble every 15 secs instead of 10......................

 

[rightwingnut]

Shouldn't he rack to secondary anyway, even if it's still bubbling away? At least to get it off all the nasties...and it'll continue fermenting in secondary. Or should he wait because the more vigorous the fermentation, the more nasties that are created?

 

[Janx]

Oh yeah, sorry...misread your original. Rack that puppy and let it finish up in the secondary. I thought you had racked it already, doh!

 

[Tophe]

Okay....I do still have a couple inches of foam on top....still rack to secondary?

 

[Janx]

Yeah, you can go ahead and do it as long as it isn't fermenting so much that the bubbles stop the siphon. That happens to me all the time when they're really active.

If it's still that active just wait another day or so.