[mrbounds]

Hi All,

I brewed a strong porter a couple of weeks back and am seeing a little bit of weirdness going on...
I checked the gravity after two weeks (og was 1.094 and I am using white labs bedford british ale yeast fermentation temp was 66F) and was at 1.030 which was almost at were I was expecting to be but the beer was still very very cloudy. I removed the blow off tube and inserted an airlock and this has been popping away ever since (4 days now). Is it possible that the beer isnt done and fermentation is still taking place? I have never really seen behaviour like this with this yeast before and i have used it several times and with this recipe also. I am starting to worry that I have some sort of infection and the bubbling airlock will never stop.

[stlaleman]

Check the gravity, if its dropping you are fermenting.

[Slowbrew]

It's definitely possible that the yeast are still chugging away.

I agree with stlaleman, take a reading see.

Paul

[mrbounds]

I will check the gravity again at the weekend  but it just freaked me out as I didnt really see much activity through the blow off hose but the airlock is going 2 or three times every 30 seconds. In my experience with this yeast it has been finished with active fermentation inside 5 days but there was still definitely a lot of yeast still in suspension in my first sample.

[mrbounds]

So I checked the gravity again and it dropped a couple of points to 1.028 but the beer is still off gasing (popping the airlock every 30 secs or so) but other than that there is no signs of fermentation. We are going on 4 weeks now for this brew which I have never experienced before. Has anyone else had brews that have taken this long to finish? I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever stop off gasing and also do I just remain patient or transfer to secondary where bourbon oak chips await?

[Hokerer]

Wait another day or two and check the gravity again.  If it's still 1.028, then it's probably done.

[mrbounds]

So I shouldnt be worried about it still producing CO2?

[tschmidlin]

It's not necessarily producing CO2, even though it is off-gassing.  It could be caused by temperature changes.  If the gravity is stable, I'd say it's done.

[bluesman]

+1

Another indicator is when the beer drop clear. When the beer drops clear it is more than likely finished fermenting.

[mrbounds]

I dont think it has dropped clear yet. I will give it until the weekend and check the gravity again and report back.